Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Bella. Happy birthday to yooouuuu." My family all stood around me, children, grandchildren, and friends. I looked into my loving husband of fifty-four years and remembered all the hardships it took us to get here. Realizing, I wouldn't want it any other way.

~.~.~

Fifty Eight Years Earlier

"Bella wake up! You're going to be late for school!" Charlie yelled up at me with the highest possible decibel count he could muster.

"Ok I'll be right down." I yelled back. Sitting up for moment I glanced at my alarm clock and read the time 6:15. Sighing loudly I laid back down, having been going to school for 11 years now, I would have thought Charlie would realize that I didn't even have to be up until seven. However, from prior experience, I knew that if I went back to sleep he would again yell at me to wake up so I wouldn't be late. I got up, groaning, and rubbed my eyes as I headed to the bathroom.

Looking in the mirror I examined myself. My hair was sticking up in crazy directions from all the tossing and turning I do at night, my eyes were a peculiar greenish-brown, and usually more brown than green. Today was a lucky day though, my eyes a clear dark green, reflecting my positive mood. My skin was, as always, an extremely pale white, almost translucent, and luckily for me very clear. It contrasted with my dark brown, almost black wavy hair. Speaking of my hair, if I didn't attempt to brush it soon, it would be a lost cause, forced to be restrained in a ponytail all day.

I finished up in the bathroom and headed to my room for something to wear. I glanced out the window, and the sky looked clear, but knowing Forks, the weather was anything but reliable. I settled for a muted red top and my favorite pair of jeans coupled with my only pair of converse. I looked at my clock, realizing I had an hour to kill, so I laid on my bed, reading my favorite book The Book Thief. Time passed quickly, and when I looked at the clock again, I had five minutes till it was time for me to leave. I raced downstairs, careful not to kill myself in the process, and grabbed a quick granola bar and some orange juice and headed out to my truck.

It wasn't that big of a truck, and it was a faded rusty red. But it got me from point A to point B, so it was all I needed. When I saw the dark clouds looming above me, I silently prayed that it wouldn't rain, due to the fact that in my rush, I left my hoodie at home. I pulled into the small parking lot of Forks high school, and instantly saw my group of friends sitting at the same table outside that we always do when it's not raining. As I hopped out of my truck I could hear them all the way from where I was standing. I smirked to myself as I thought that if we went to bigger school, we would probably all be mistaken for immature little freshman.

I took inventory of my friends who were at our table, seeing if there was anyone not there. Nope, we were all accounted for. Alison and Skyler sat together holding hands along with Angela and Ben, the two couples of our group, then sat Stephen, Nick, Jake, Mike, Chris, Austin, Jessica, Tabitha, and Kyra.

"Interracial gay zombie porn!" Were the first words I heard as I made my way closer, moving to sit next to Stephen. The words came from his mouth and I looked at him incredulously.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked him.

"Mine and Skyler's new type of porn," he answered.

"Ummm, okay, now I'm worried about you two." I turned looking at both of them and laughed, having the feeling it was going to be a great day.

Easy conversation continued until the bell rang then Alison, Skyler, Angela, and Stephen and I headed to English class. We people weaved our ways through the hallway until I ran into Edward Cullen, jock extraordinaire and professional asshole.

"Stay the fuck out of my way Cullen!" I yelled at him.

"Well maybe if you would watch where you're going I wouldn't be in your fucking way!" he yelled back. Angela tapped my arm lightly to remind me not to cause a scene, so I pushed past Edward, glaring at him, and headed to my 1st hour. I sat in my seat and as Mr. Jones droned on about the latest assignment I allowed my thoughts to drift back to Edward.

We used to be friends. In fact all of us were friends. At the end of 8th grade we promised that we would all be friends for the rest of our lives. Yet when we came back for our freshman year, Edward barely acknowledged any of us. After having not heard from my best friend all summer and then being ignored by him at school pushed me over the brink. That was the first time Edward Cullen and I had gotten in a fight.

Since that day we have never been civil with each other. Everyone else just accepted that for whatever reason he didn't want to be friends with us anymore. I personally didn't understand why, it wasn't popularity reasons; Forks High wasn't a big enough school to have a social hierarchy, so I figured he believed we weren't good enough for him and his richy family. It also didn't help that he was just so goddamned good-looking. Really if fate wanted to be kind they could make the outside match his ugly personality…

"Bella, Bella, hey Bella!" I turned to see Stephen poking me and whisper yelling.

"What?"

"The bell rang."

"Oh" I replied dumbly, as I packed up my bag and headed to my next class.