Chapter 1

The Mistake

"The five hundred hour routine again Alice?" I asked my older sister who was STILL debating what to wear.

"Oh hush you" Alice said then turned to my older brother Emmett "see what you've taught her?"

"And I have taught the dwarf well" Emmett said and I whacked him.

"Come on Alice you know Edward wants to get to school before Bella" I said.

"He always does…and he will again this morning" Alice said.

Well she wasn't lying about that.

"Where is our annoying sister?" Edward, my other older brother (and the only one in my family actually biologically related to me) asked.

"Behind you" I said since Alice had just darted down the stairs after changing quickly with her vampire speed that we all possessed.

"She is going to love what I got her!" Alice said.

"She told you no presents!" I reminded both Alice and Edward who looked at me like "seriously."

I held my hands up defensively "just saying."

We got into Edward's silver Volvo and of course went over the speed limit so we got to school in a jiffy.

As we waited for Bella we sat in the car mostly my siblings talked about their summer and when the conversation eventually turned to me we talked about how much I hated the conformists cough*Jenna Bright*cough. And big whup she was in almost ALL of my classes.

I tracked Bella since Edward couldn't hear her thoughts and knew she was pulling into the parking lot. Edward got out of the car and waited beside it.

He placed me on the trunk so I was sitting on it. Usually he never let me sit on his car but today he was obviously in a good mood.

Alice got all excited when she saw Bella and when she saw this she looked at Alice like she was crazy.

"Happy Birthday Bella!" Alice cheered as soon as Bella walked over to us.

"SH!" Bella hissed.

I chuckled "while you are now 216 months old we acknowledge this day as a date of…" but Edward cut me off.

"OK that's enough."

"Well at least Hazel listens to what I ask!" Bella said and I smirked at Edward.

"Do you want to open your presents now or later?" Alice asked still cheerfully.

"No presents!" Bella mumbled (as it sounded to her).

"OK…later then. Did you like the scrapbook your mom sent you? And the camera from Charlie?"

"Yeah they're great" Bella sighed.

"I think it's a nice idea. You're only a senior once. Might as well document the experience." Alice said.

"Alice I swear if I hear another one of the 'you're only a *something* once or you only live once I will personally assist Bella in silencing your mouth" I said.

"Violent yet so small" Alice said.

"She likes it because I'm the only one she can pick on height wise" I said.

Yes it was true me at my measly height of 4'7 was just three inches shorter than Alice's 4'10 build. Although I liked being small though in high school…especially last year it got me teased a lot.

"How many times have you been a senior Alice?" Bella asked.

"That's different." Alice replied.

We reached Edward from Bella's car and he held his hand out towards Bella.

"So as discussed I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday correct?" Edward asked.

"Yes" Bella said.

"Just checking" Edward said running his hand through his hair to which I rolled my eyes at. He had a bit of an obsession with doing that. "You might have changed your mind. Most people seem to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts."

"Yes…but what if Bella wants to be a nonconformist?" I asked Edward and Bella and Alice laughed.

"Of course you'll enjoy it…what's the worst that could happen?" Alice asked.

"Getting older" Bella answered.

"Eighteen isn't very old. Don't women usually wait till they're twenty nine to get upset over birthdays?" I asked.

"It's older than Edward" Bella muttered to which Edward sighed in response.

"Technically…just by a year though" Alice said.

"Yeah…so now you're a cougar and at least you can legally vote!" I said.

Edward shook his head as if to say "you are truly weird."

"What time do you plan to be at the house?" Alice asked.

"I didn't know I had plans to be there." Bella said.

"Oh be fair Bella! You aren't going to ruin all of our fun like that are you?" Alice pouted.

"I thought my birthday was about what I wanted?" Bella asked.

"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school" Edward said ignoring Bella.

"I have to work" Bella protested.

"No you don't…I called Mrs. Newton and traded your shift. She said to wish you a happy birthday by the way." Alice said.

"I –I still haven't watched Romeo and Juliet for English" Bella stammered.

Alice snorted "please you have Romeo and Juliet memorized"

"But Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to truly appreciated that's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented.

My brother and I both shared a look then dramatically rolled our eyes.

"You're already seen the movie" Alice accused.

"Not the nineteen sixties version. Mr. Berty said it was the best."

Alice got a frustrated look on her face "This can be easy or this can be hard Bella but one way or the other-"

Edward cut her off "Relax, if Bella wants to watch a movie then she can. It's her birthday. I'll bring her over around seven. That will give you more time to set up"

"Sounds good, see you tonight Bella…it will be fun…you'll see!" she then trotted away cheerfully.

"Well I'll give you two some privacy" I said joking.

"Can you grow up…please?" Edward asked.

"Highly tempting but alas…nah" I said running away.

I went to my locker to put my books away and got my notebook for Art class, my folder for Computer Technology and my binder for AP biology II which was the sequel to my last year's course AP biology I.

My art class wasn't the best thing exactly…I loved drawing especially anime and real life sketches. But the people were just…ugh don't get me started. First you had Desiree Johnson (Jenna Bright's best friend), Jenna Bright, Bryce Barit, and the annoying Scott Fried.

That was pretty much just as I knew from last year. There were a lot of other kids…who seemed OK but I wasn't noticed as much due to my shortness. I was beginning to think that this was a punishment that I had to go to high school with the body of a twelve and a quarter year old.

Mrs. Nichols was absent today so we got to do free draw AKA whatever we wanted. Mostly I kept to myself but I struck up a conversation with a girl named Isobel who hated conformists just as much as I did.

Next I had my computer technology class which was nothing special and I had to work with a kid named Dave Fisher who was in my classes last year. He wouldn't let me do any of the work so I was bored.

Next I had my second favorite class which was Social Science. We did some research for our report project. I was doing mine on the factors that affect conformity…Edward said it was very appropriate.

Next I had lunch with Edward, Bella, Alice, and Bella's friends Mike, Jessica, Ben, Angela, Eric, Conner, Tyler, and Lauren (although Lauren didn't really like Bella).

I was the only 10th grader…it still felt weird calling myself that. Lunch was relatively uneventful although I ended up getting into a conversation with Angela and Ben about President Bush.

Alice hated it when I talked about politics so mostly I did it to annoy her. But she loved teasing me with the fact that she was able to vote and I wasn't and never would be able to…just like I would never get to be a teenager and never get to have a legal driver's license.

Overall the rest of the day went by without much difficulty. I did my homework as soon as I got home and as usual whizzed through it since it wasn't too hard with a vampire brain. Though sometimes I wished I could get a little more of a challenge.

"HAZEL! COME ON STOP BEING LAZY AND HELP EVERYONE SET UP!" Alice called to me.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Yes…and I don't want to hear another word" Alice said.

"I hate you sometimes" I said.

"I know…I hate you too." Alice responded.

Of course we were just joking though.

I tracked Bella and Edward and saw they were coming…I didn't tell Alice but she saw it nonetheless.

"EVERYONE IN THE LIVING ROOM!" she called and I groaned.

"She's going to kill you" I said.

"Yes…and?" Alice asked before I just rolled my eyes.

When Bella and Edward walked through the door everyone greeted her by shouting "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA!" I saw the horror on her face and glared at Alice and turned by gaze to my brother who shook his head at me.

Carlisle and Esme went to greet Bella first Esme gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek while Carlisle said "sorry Bella we couldn't control Alice."

"You haven't changed at all. I expected a difference but here you are red faced as always." Emmett said to Bella.

"Thanks Emmett" Bella said turning redder.

"I have to step out for a second. Don't do anything funny while I'm gone" Emmett said smirking at Alice.

We all knew what he was going to do but Bella didn't. He had gotten her a new radio for her birthday and was going to install it.

"Time to open presents" Alice declared skipping over to Bella.

Bella put on a face "Alice, I know I told you I didn't want anything."

"And I didn't listen" Alice said "Open it" she said handing a box to Bella.

Bella shook the empty box and then opened it.

"Um…thanks" she said puzzled.

Rosalie and Jasper laughed "it's a stereo for your truck. Emmett's installing it right now so you can't return it" Jasper said.

"Thanks Jasper, Rosalie" then she turned and called "Thanks Emmett!"

Emmett laughed from her truck and Bella laughed too.

"Open mine and Edward's next" Alice said.

"You promised!" Bella said to Edward.

Emmett came through just at that moment "Just in time!" he crowed.

"I didn't spend a dime" Edward assured Bella pushing some of her hair from her face.

"Give it to me" Bella sighed to Alice.

As she was opening it the paper cut Bella's finger as it slid under the tape. A single drop of blood came from her cut and dropped to the floor.

"NO!" Edward shouted and threw Bella back across the table that fell.

Jasper slammed into Edward. Jasper was growling and tried to get past Edward.

Emmett grabbed Jasper behind in a second locking him into a headlock. Bella looked disoriented as we all stared back at her…our eyes boring into hers.

Carlisle stayed calm as always. "Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside."

Emmett had a grim expression on his face as he grabbed Jasper's arm and pulled him outside.

Esme followed them "I'm so sorry, Bella" she said. Alice left as well.

"Here Carlisle" I said handing him a towel.

He shook his head. "Too much glass in the wound."

He asked Bella if she preferred him to stitch her up here or at the hospital and she said here.

"I'll get your bag" I said.

"Let's get her to the kitchen table" Carlisle said to Edward who lifted her effortlessly.

Bella must've seen the look in Edward's face "Just go Edward" she said.

"I can handle it" he insisted.

"You don't need to be a hero" Bella said.

"I'll stay" he said.

"Why are you so masochistic" Bella said.

"Edward, you may as well go find Jasper before he gets too far. I'm sure he's upset with himself and I doubt he'll listen to anyone but you right now."

"Yes" Bella said eagerly.

Edward looked at me his eyes pleading I got up "come on…let's go" I took my brother by the hand and led him out the door…ignoring the floral scent of blood from behind me.