Birthday Girl

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Edward drove Bella home in silence. The tension was palpable between them. Bella kept glancing at him; her hands twisting nervously in her lap. The whole evening had been a disaster. She had been dreading turning eighteen and the whole impromptu party hosted by the Cullen's had turned out worse then she had feared. Bella caught sight of the bandage wrapped around her wrist where she had cut herself on the glass cabinet. A simple paper cut had sparked off a chain of events she would never have foreseen.

"Please you have to tell Jasper I don't blame him." Bella finally broke the silence as Edward parked in her driveway.

"This shouldn't have happened." Edward's voice was tortured, as well as the expression he was wearing. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, staring straight ahead.

"It was an accident." Bella hated the sound of her voice. It sounded plaintive and whining.

"But it did. You could have been killed. This shows how dangerous we all are, Bella." Edward finally turned to look at her.

"But it was a freak accident. I won't be so clumsy next time." Bella could feel Edward slipping away from her and she was frightened.

"I should go." Edward tore his eyes away from her and stared out into the night.

"Will you stay?" Bella asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Not tonight. Go inside, Bella." Edward's words were final.

Bella hung her head as she climbed out of the Volvo and shut the door quietly. As soon as she stepped back from the car, Edward drove off at high speed, not even bothering to say goodnight. She felt like crying. She could feel the easy tears welling up behind her lids. Everything she feared was coming to pass, she could sense the change in Edward. He was pulling away from her. Bella glanced at the house. It was still early and she didn't feel like going inside. Her dad would ask questions and she didn't think she could keep the tears at bay.

Her eyes fell on her truck, parked proudly on the drive. The old beast was sturdy and made of iron. She always felt safe driving the old monster. She needed to feel safe right now. Bella took the keys from her purse and unlocked the driver's door and slipped inside. The clang of the heavy door startled her and she nearly dropped the keys on the floor. She glanced out of the side window to check that her father hadn't heard the sound. There was no movement from the house. As soon as she started the loud engine, Bella knew that he would definitely look outside, but she planned to be on the road before he could investigate and ask any questions.

Driving made Bella feel calmer. She gripped the wheel tightly and drove aimlessly around for a while. She soon found herself on the road heading for La Push. She thought about taking a walk along the beach in the dark, but before she reached the turn off she changed her mind and headed in the opposite direction.

Bella parked up a little way from the Black's house so that they would not be disturbed by the loud rumbling engine of the truck. Jacob had surprised her earlier that day at school with a present for her. He had bought her a traditional dream-catcher to ward off nightmares. He didn't know how apt his present was. It had been difficult to have a proper conversation with him while Edward was nearby and listening to their every word. She felt touched by Jacob's gesture and a little guilty when he chided her for not hanging out with him more. She wondered now whether he would be annoyed at her turning up unexpectedly, he had let slip that he would be home all night working on his car in the the garage.

Bella weaved her way past the house and headed over to the garage which was a little way from the house. One of the doors was slightly open, spilling light out into the night. He was definitely inside then. She picked up her pace and, taking a deep breath, she edged her way inside. Jacob had the radio playing at full volume so didn't hear her come in. He was leaning under the hood of the Rabbit, fiddling with something in the engine. Bella watched him work for a moment before she alerted him to her presence.

"Hey, Jake."

Jacob's head shot up and he hit it on the open hood of the car. Bella had to stifle a giggle as he whipped round, rubbing the top of his head; his eyes widened when he saw her standing there. "Bells?"

"Hey." She said again.

"What are you doing here? I thought that rich boyfriend of yours was throwing you a party." He picked up an old rag and began to clean his hands on it.

Bella flushed red and dropped her eyes to the floor. "He did, but...it didn't go so well."

Jacob threw the rag on the floor and hurried over to her. He leaned down so he could peer into her eyes. He was so freaking tall. Bella glanced up at him from under her lashes. "What happened?" He asked in concern. "Did he do something?"

"No, nothing like that." Bella mumbled. "I just hate parties. It's not my thing. I just...I don't know." She shrugged.

Jacob studied her for a moment before dropping the subject. He could tell she wasn't going to say anything more. Instead he smiled at her and took her hand, leading her over to an upturned crate that he used as a seat. He dusted it down before allowing her to sit. "I don't want you to mess up that dress. You look pretty by the way."

Bella blushed again as she tugged at the skirts of the blue dress Alice had picked out for her to wear for the party. She had forgotten that she was all dressed up. She felt stupid. "Thanks." She was so bad at taking a compliment.

"So." Jacob shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. "How does it feel to be eighteen?"

His question brought up all Bella's fears about ageing. Before she could stop herself she suddenly burst into tears as she pictured Jasper attacking her and flying through the air as Edward pushed her out of the way before Jasper could bite her. She closed her eyes and put her hand over her injured wrist.

Jacob was alarmed at the sudden onset of tears. He quickly sat beside her and pulled her into a comforting hug. Bella buried her head in his shoulder and kept apologising. "I'm sorry, so sorry. I didn't meant it."

"Hey, it's alright. It's just me...Jake. You can talk to me you know." He held her tighter as she began to tremble.

"It's nothing, just being silly." Bella choked out. "Sorry."

Jacob held her until she finally calmed down. When she pulled away from him her eyes were red and puffy from all the tears. Her mascara had run down her cheeks, blackening them. "I must look like a fright." She wiped her face vigorously.

"A very pretty fright." Jacob joked lamely. He could almost hear his friends Embry and Quil groaning in horror at his words. 'Very smooth, Black.' They would say. 'Calling the girl you're crushing on a fright, awesome.'

Bella smiled at him wanly.

"I didn't mean that you look frightful or anything." Jacob began to babble. The Quil and Embry in his head were now beginning to roll their eyes in disgust. "You look really nice, cute and stuff. It's just that you said fright and I meant that you..."

Bella began to laugh. She rested her head back on his shoulder and gasped as she tried to catch her breath. All the tension from the dreadful party eased away. "Oh, Jake, you are so sweet. Do you know that?"

"I am?" He asked, a sunny grin lighting up his face.

"Definitely." Bella declared.

"Happy birthday, Bella." Jacob said softly.

"And Billy is definitely asleep?" Bella checked as they sneaked into the house.

"Yeah. I helped him into bed before I started work on the car." Jacob whispered.

"I'll wait here and you go get them." Bella stood nervously in the hallway while she watched Jacob head toward the small kitchen. She heard him opening the fridge and the clink of cans, which sounded loud in the silence, as he pulled thme out and placed them under his arm. He also caught sight of a half empty bottle of Jack Daniels and took that too.

"Did you get them?" Bella asked.

"Yes." Jacob's white teeth flashed at her as he showed her the cans and the bottle. "We can celebrate your birthday in style now. How long have we got left?"

Bella glanced at her watch. "Two hours. It's ten o'clock."

"Cool. Let's go." Jacob led the way out of the house and back toward the garage.

Bella lay on her back on an old piece of tarpaulin that Jacob had spread on the floor. She waved her hand above her, trying to get her eyes to focus. "Jake. I fink I may be a liffle twispsy." She giggled.

Jacob, who was lying beside her, thought this was the funniest thing he had ever heard. He laughed and laughed until his sides hurt. "Jush like a girl." He slurred.

Bella frowned. "Gwirl? Wash wrong wiv that?"

"Nuffink." Jacob rolled onto his side and picked up the bottle of Jack Daniels and tried to drink some, but it was empty. "Oh no." He said sadly as he turned it upside down and shook it.

"Oh, alllll goooneee." Bella sang the words in an off key voice. She lifted her watch to her face, nearly poking herself in the eye as she tried to read the numbers. It looked like the number twelve, she just wished it would stop swimming about and stay still. She shook her wrist. Damn watch must be broken. "I fink my birfday's allll overrrr."

Jacob lay back beside her and twisted his head so he was facing her. "Happy birfday, honey bunny." He grinned at her sexily. At least he hoped he was. He couldn't seem to control his mouth.

"Fanks." Bella smiled at him beatifically as she leaned across and placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

Jacob sighed happily as she rested her head on his shoulder and promptly fell asleep.

Edward was very concerned when Bella was a no show at school. He had thought it best to leave her to make her own way to school. Last night had really unnerved him. She had nearly been hurt yet again because of what he was. He hadn't handled the aftermath very well. He knew that Bella had been deeply upset by his attitude. He was still ambivalent about where their relationship was going to go. He had lulled himself into a false sense of security. He tried to call the house but there was no answer. So when the lunch bell rang he slipped away and headed to her house to check on her.

Edward couldn't climb through her window like he normally would. For some reason it was bolted shut and he could hear Charlie talking to Bella in her room. She sounded ill when she replied to him. He hovered outside the window, listening in to the conversation.

"It's your own fault, kiddo." Charlie was unsympathetic. "That's what you get for not only downing cans of cheap beer but mixing it with Jack Daniels. Let that be a lesson to you."

"Not so loud, dad." Bella whined. She pulled the pillow over her face. "My head hurts and I feel sick."

"Hangovers will do that to you." Charlie tried to hide his smile. Billy had said Jacob had actually not left the bathroom all morning. At least Bella had managed to keep hers down.

"It was my birthday. I wanted to celebrate. I'm eighteen." Her voice was muffled under the pillow.

"Well I doubt lover boy Edward Cullen will be impressed by the state of you right now." Charlie's voice showed his distaste as he mentioned Edward's name.

"That loser." Bella sneered. "You were right about him all along, dad."

"I was?" Charlie said in surprise, a slow smile crossing his face.

"Yes. When my head stops spinning I plan to write him a letter telling him to f...that it's over." Bella declared firmly.

"Oh I can write it if you want to dictate the letter to me, kiddo." Charlie offered as he pulled out his notebook and pen.

Bella pulled the pillow away from her face and locked eyes with her dad. They began to laugh at the same time, until Bella groaned. "I'm gonna be sick."

Outside Edward Cullen slipped silently away.

A/N-thanks for reading!