As much as I would've liked to, I didn't sleep very well. Edward had such a lovely, strange effect on me. Even though I was troubled last night, thinking about us and how someone so incredibly perfect wouldn't stay forever…it all melted away in that instant our lips had met. It wasn't forgotten completely, but it was pushed back by the sudden rush of love I felt at that moment.

Unfortunately, once enough time had passed, it seemed that my mind was ready to continue the barrage of unwelcome thoughts, this time in the form of a dream while I slept.

It started out pleasant enough, like nightmares sometimes do. It was me and Gran. We were in the center of a sunny, vaguely familiar meadow. We smiled at each other, puzzled but happy to see a long lost family member again. There were so many things I wanted to ask her! I opened my mouth to ask, just at the same time she did. I stopped myself, wanting her to go first, but she had already done the same. Her small mouth curved into a slight smile, the skin near there creasing as she did so. I smiled back, the expression reaching my eyes. Then I heard an all too familiar sweet voice.

"Bella?"

It was Edward, emerging from the forest to the very edge of the meadow. I froze for a moment, and looked at Gran. She was watching me too, concerned. I turned back to watch Edward. If he came out into the sunlight, he would be exposed… How would I explain to my grandmother that my boyfriend glittered, refracting the sunlight that touched him?

I was alarmed when he did just that, gracefully, he was at my side in an instant. Light was sparkling off him. I watched him, stunned, as he wrapped one arm around my back. Looking down at me he smiled warmly. I slowly returned the first gesture, wrapping one arm around his back. I looked at him, trying to communicate my confusion and distress.

"Edward…what are you..?" I started. He didn't seem to notice there was someone with us. Before I finished my sentence my eyes had gone back to check my grandma's reaction. I stopped speaking when I noticed her awkward positioning. Her arm looked as if it was wrapped around something, and that she was slightly leaning towards it, supporting herself even. Our eyes met -she was just as confused as I was.

The meadow was gone then, and the dream shifted to just the three of us standing in a golden sunlight-like spotlight, surrounded by darkness. The chill of realization was starting to creep up on my mind. I reached my hand out to touch my grandmother, and my suspicions were being confirmed when she mimicked my motion. At the point where our finger tips should've met, there was cold, hard glass. I wrist retracted my hand quickly, a reaction to the shock. Grandma bit her lower lip slightly as I realized I was looking into a mirror.

I looked quickly to Edward, who looked both confused and amused by my movement, before looking back to the mirror, horrified. I was at least eighty. There were a lot wrinkles on my face, around my eyes, mouth and then the deep ones on my neck. My hair was in thin wisps of snow white, just passing my jaw bone. My neck craned slightly forward, a combined effect of old age and gravity. I continued to take in my feeble self in the mirror as Edward leaned down to me slowly, kissing my cheek.

"Happy birthday, love." He murmured as he pulled away.

I woke up then, my heart beating fast. Sitting up, I looked around quickly. Edward had left already, because he wasn't anywhere in my room. I let out a heavy sigh. Calming down, I was convinced that my nightmare was no coincidence. Still sitting up, I saw the calendar, and winced a little inside when I realized the date. It was September the thirteenth. My birthday. I groaned. Today, I was officially older than Edward. Forever. Even if I did get changed, I would always be older than him, physically.

I slowly flipped my corner of the blanket up before getting out of bed. There was no point going back to sleep, or even trying to. Thankfully, the sun was starting to rise, so it was now acceptable for me to start the day. Slowly making my way done the stairs, I started to cook breakfast for me and Charlie, something a bit more time consuming than the usual cereal for me and eggs for him. Time went by much too fast, and before I knew it, it was time to leave for school.

Parking my old, red truck in the parking lot, I found Edward already waiting for me, leaning against his silver Volvo. Pushing himself away from it, he was beside me almost instantly.

"Hey." He said quietly, his hands quickly getting my books for me. He looked up at me, and smiled crookedly.

"Hi." I mumbled. I slammed the door to my truck a bit harder than I had meant to. My nightmare was still bothering me. Edward, being as observant as he is, noticed something must've been upsetting me.

"I hope you don't mind that I left early today, I didn't want to wake you up." He said after a slight pause. We were slowly walking towards our first class now, the shortened hours of sleep were taking effect on me already. I became aware that this must be like super slow motion for Edward, but of course he wouldn't say anything.

"It's fine." I said, forcing my tone to be even and calm. I smiled a little and looked up at him as we walked. "So, where'd you go anyways?" My voice a bit more chipper.

"Just home." He said, watching me from the corner of his eyes while still looking straight ahead. He was making it obvious that he was trying to hide something from me.

"Oh?" I said, teasing, going along with this little game. "Just home?" He looked down at me and then grinned my favourite smile.

"Yup. Just home."

"Doing what?" I pressed on, curious. Then, conveniently enough, my mind made the connection that since it was my birthday and all (I managed to forget just now when Edward smiled at me,) that Edward might, being my boyfriend and everything, might do something for me. I cursed to myself silently. I began to think of all the things the Cullens could do to celebrate their son's girlfriend's birthday. My stomach did a little back flip as I thought of Alice, and the extravagance that she alone could pull off for as something simple as a birthday.

"You'll find out later." Edward said, trying to build up anticipation and suspense in me. He started to hum a little as we walked.

"Mm." I responded, my mind still thinking out dreadful and outrageous birthday scenarios. We were inside now, in the hallway that led to our class. He stopped me suddenly, grabbing my arm gently with one hand. I was so absorbed in my thought I didn't notice he had stopped his humming, and was watching me. I looked up at him, wondering why we had stopped but he gently pushed me so that we weren't in the middle of the hallway, but off to the side.

"Edward?" I said, confused. I looked up at him, knowing there was no looking away once I met his stunning eyes.

"Bella…" He started softly, his velvet voice absolutely entrancing. At some point he had placed my books on the bench attached to the wall behind us, but I didn't notice. With his free hand, he brushed some strands of my hair behind my ear as he spoke. "What's wrong? I want you to be happy today, of all days." He whispered, so that only I could hear.

"It's nothing." I said, exhaling. He looked at me, his eyes questioning, waiting for me to continue. "Really." I said, smiling now. I didn't want to bring it up, not now anyways. He was in such a good mood today, and whenever I brought up the topic of me being changed, it seemed to send him into a bad one.

"Do you promise?" He murmured, the back of his hand had started to trace my jaw with his ring and index fingers, from where it started by my ear down to my chin.

"Yes." I said softly, his hand now cupping my chin and raising it slightly. As if I would look away anyways.

"Alright then." He said softly, his eyes flicked over the different features of my face, evaluating my expression to make sure there really wasn't anything wrong before meeting my eyes again. My expression was calm, nothing tense about me. I watched him back, taking the full effect of him in. My heart started to speed up as he leaned in slowly to kiss me.

"By the way…Happy birthday." He murmured, right before our lips met. For a moment I froze while his lips gently moved over mine. My mind instantly flicked back to my nightmare, but I pushed it away quickly as our kiss continues. Hopefully he hadn't noticed. As I quickly got into it, he pulled away before either of would lose self control, although self control in this situation meant something different for him than it did for me.

Holding me away from him, but still close so that he could see my expression, I could see from his expression that he though something was amiss.

"Bella...what was that just a moment ago?" He said quietly, frowning.

"What was what?" I said innocently, although my tone was a little shaky. He continued to watch me.

"When you froze back there...why? It was like you were afraid or something." He mumbled.

Crap. His expression was now worried, and I could tell he was thinking that I was afraid of him. Now I had to tell him.

Okay, second chapter is up. I redid the summary as well, hopefully it'll give a better idea as to what the story's about.

So I know this isn't exactly how her birthday goes in the book, but what the hell, it's a fan fic, so why not. It wouldn't be very interesting if I just paraphrased everything from the book.

Anyways, next chapter and the one after is when things start to really vary from the way the novel goes.

Okay, so REVIEW s'il vous plait! Tell me what you think, and please, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM! This is my first fic, no need to traumatize me from ever writing anything again ;)