"Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk." – William Arthur Ward
I found birthdays odd in general. With a family like mine, birthdays weren't celebrated much because the significance of it tended to fade after a few centuries.
Aunt Alice, though I love her and her ever lighthearted ways, enjoyed things like pretty dresses and throwing parties and when you're technically the only partly human thing around, expect her to sink her perfect (sharp) nails into your skin as she drags you away to try on the latest (and most expensive) item of clothing she would like you to try on or hand you enough presents that it could bring Santa Claus to shame as she gushes over how much you've grown and "Look, there's a cake!".
I've known that day would come, my seventh birthday, I've known all about it since my quickly developing mind could process thought. It was one of the things little kids would wait for, crossing out days in the calendar and staring outside the window longingly to pass the time, daydreaming of that one special day.
Normal kids weren't adults at this age that I'm celebrating; they were still blowing out the candles of their ice creams and receiving bikes with training wheels. I, however, wasn't normal, far from it. Because my seventh birthday was the day I would become an adult.
Though, my family would probably think me a child even when I was already as old as Grandpa Carlisle.
"Happy Birthday," Mom's whisper in my ear was as cool and sweet as it had always been, her arms felt like ice against my warm skin and I hugged her back, relishing the tenderness of the embrace. Mom had always been protective, I was her child, forever little Nessie with the rust-colored pigtails that ran with a big wolf as her guardian through the woods.
Dad's embrace felt the same except his hug had always been tighter, a strange mix of controlled carefulness and desperate adoration, he always hugged like he was afraid he'd lose me at any moment. He didn't need to wish me anything because I knew what he was thinking even if he was really the one that had the power to do that.
Jacob had a habit of being late as far as I could remember. He always arrived at just the right moment nonetheless, just when Dad asks if anyone wants to babysit me or when Aunt Rosalie has already left the room. Jacob, even if he was habitually late, made up for it for having the greatest timing.
"Happy Birthday, Nessie," I never told any of my family this but I enjoyed Jacob's hugs the best. He was warm and I always felt engulfed in his big arms. It was a real, full and adoring hug, like the hug after you greet someone you've been missing for the longest while. "Did I miss the food?"
Aunt Rosalie practically rolled her eyes at Jake's never-ending hunger and directed 'Fido' to where the small makeshift buffet table was.
"Thank you, Blondie." Jake's quip was only met with a toxic glare.
"Let's start unwrapping your presents!" Aunt Alice hauled me towards the large stack of gifts and proceeded to make me open each and every one, most of them I didn't even really need but was deemed necessary by whoever thought of giving it to me or Aunt Alice because they usually just made her do all the shopping including birthday presents.
Uncle Emmett and his ever dim ways had gotten me a gag gift of a flimsy piece of black material that was meant to be a nightgown. "For you two, when…you know…"
Dad had glared so viciously at him for insinuating that Jacob and I would even think about doing…such things that I'm sure that if looks could kill; Uncle Emmett would be sprawled dead on the dark wooden floors right then with that happy-go-lucky expression still present.
"Open my gift next," Jacob handed me his present and I almost laughed at how ridiculous it looked with the abundance of tape and the pink and purple gift wrapper that crumbled at the sides. "Don't judge it when you haven't even seen what's inside."
It always surprised me how he seemed to find it so easy to read my mind, if it was possible even more than Dad…
The quick change of everyone's behavior was noticeable as they all froze like statues, guarded-looks that I knew hid fear behind them stared at something behind me. Even Jacob was glaring aggressively, having pushed me behind him, his tall and large built making it impossible to see whatever it was that made them all stand on end.
"Nessie…" I heard Aunt Alice's small voice echo in the sudden quiet of the room, I could hear the horror in it and I knew at that moment that something terrible was about to happen.
With a swift breath, I stepped out from behind Jacob and looked at what frightened them all so much. What I saw made my heart stop and my breath hitch.
Standing there was the Volturi.
A review would be nice. It usually helps to encourage me. Pretty please with Alec covered in chocolate sauce? ^^
