Prologue
I was only 12 years old when the Cullens moved in next door to my father, Charlie, and me. They were a pretty big family. There was Carlisle, the father, who volunteered as a free clinic doctor in Seattle. Apparently he had earned enough money at his previous job to provide his services at no charge. This was an unheard of thought for my father who worked long hours at the Forks police station day and night. Esme, the mother, was a beautiful and gentle women who spent her days taking care of her family. In fact, she almost became like a second mother to me, sending over dinner some nights seeing as neither my dad nor I had learned to cook yet since my mother left a few years before.
The Cullens had 4 kids, two girls and two boys, all of whom were adopted and just around my age. Alice was the most bubbly and cheerful person you could ever meet, while Rosalie, was just about the polar opposite of that. Emmett had been the total all American boy, always playing some sort of sport with a new girlfriend cheering him on each week. Then there was Edward. He was the quietest of the Cullens and spent much of his time alone writing songs on the piano and reading. I never spent much time with Edward, but as I laid in bed each night listening to the distant sound of his playing, I grew to feel like I knew him the best.
The Cullen has being living next door to us for just about five years one April night when we decided to celebrate their anniversary by having a fire in their backyard. We roasted marshmallows and made smores and, although we didn't go so far as to sing camp fire songs, it was one of the most perfect Forks night I could remember experiencing. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the stars were the brightest I'd ever seen. Like always, we could hear Edward inside playing a soft tone on the piano.
"So tomorrow we should go buy a cake…." I remember Alice saying with her usual enthusiasm.
"Ohh can it be an ice cream cake?" Emmett wondered hopefully, with the excitement of a two year old who well… who had just heard the word 'cake'.
"Of course. And we can get one of those cute candles in the shape of a 5" She nodded in agreement.
Rosalie dropped her roasting stick on the ground. "I think I'll pass on the cake. Those smores will have me running laps for hours tomorrow."
I don't quite remember, but I'm sure I must of rolled my eyes are that comment. Rosalie was the most beautiful girl in our school and yet she was convinced that she was hideous.
"Well, it's 10 o'clock exactly. I should probably get to bed now before Charlie comes looking for me." I announced, just as the back door of my house swung open and my dad peeked his head out. I had to hand it too him, he was punctual. I shrugged me shoulders and gave them at knowing smirk, "Told you."
They all called a 'good night' as I wrapped my jacket around myself, growing colder and colder as I retreated from the fire. As I reached my house, I looked back over at my friends laughing by the fire and then headed to bed where I drifted to sleep to Edward's melody.
That was the last time I ever saw the Cullens.