AN: Well, guys, here's chapter ten for you. Hope you like it…
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
10 – Birthdays and Graduations
"What do you want for your birthday?" I asked as Alice and I walked to Computer Science together.
"I've already told you, all I want is for you to come to the party next Friday."
Alice had, of course, taken her and Edward's seventeenth birthday as a perfect excuse to throw a big party.
"And I've already told you that I'm going, and that I'm getting you a present anyway, so please tell me what you want!" We'd already had this conversation a couple of times over the past week and a half, and I knew how it would end.
"Your mere presence will be enough of a present for me."
"Fine." I sighed. "But don't blame me when I get you something you don't like. Will you help me figure out what to get Edward, though?" I had no idea what to give him.
"You know him as well as I do, if not better." Alice objected. "Besides, he'll love whatever you end up getting him."
I knew he would, but still… I wanted to find the perfect gift.
"I just want it to be something special, you know."
"If you want, I can go with you to Victoria's Secret and help you pick something out." Rosalie's voice came from behind us.
"Not exactly what I had in mind, Rose." I would never be able to pull off the whole sexy-lingerie thing, even if I tried – which I had no intention of doing.
"Aren't you supposed to be in Math?" Alice questioned.
"The benefits of graduating tomorrow." Rosalie smiled. "Ditching all the boring classes… well, all classes really, come to think of it. The grades are already set anyway, it's not like they can flunk me for missing the last class."
"True." Alice nodded. "But the rest of us still have to go to all our classes, boring or not, thank you very much, so we will see you later."
"Bye." Rosalie headed off towards the parking lot. "Think about my offer, Bella!" I was still blushing when Alice and I walked into the computer classroom a few minutes later. I was going to try very hard not to think about Rosalie's offer.
Most of the teachers seemed to have started the summer vacation early, and Alice and I spent Computer Science playing hangman on my notepad while Mrs. Gordon graded papers at her desk.
Unfortunately, this mentality had also brought with it dodge ball – the game dreaded by all people uncoordinated – all week in P.E. I had, through a lot of help from Edward and Alice and probably more than my share of luck, avoided any more injuries since the cast had come off. It seemed like coach Clapp was doing his hardest to rectify this before term ended.
All week, I had spent the entire hour in Gym with my back pressed against the wall, desperately trying to avoid getting hit in the head or tripping and breaking something. Edward had made it his personal mission to keep all the balls away from me, for which I was ever grateful. But he could only be in one place at a time, and my time on the floor usually ended with a ball coming at me out of nowhere. I counted it as a victory every time I managed to get off the court without a throbbing head or aching stomach.
As I hobbled towards the bleachers that day - I had managed to trip when I had tried to jump out of the way of a ball coming my way, and had managed not only to not avoid getting hit, luckily on the arm, but had also twisted my ankle a little – I consoled myself with the fact that this was the last class of the semester. The graduation ceremony for the seniors was taking place the following day, and there were no classes even for the ones of us not graduating.
"Is your foot OK?" Edward asked a little later, when coach Clapp had blown the whistle to indicate that the class was over.
"Yeah, it's fine." I wiggled it a little, and felt nothing – the ankle seemed fine.
"Meet you outside in fifteen minutes?" Edward asked, and I nodded. We went our separate ways to the changing rooms.
I got changed quickly and was the first one out of the gym. I leaned against a tree as I waited for Edward, and when he got out we headed towards the parking lot.
"How does it feel to be free?" He wondered.
"Amazing." I replied. School was finally over, and summer could really start. Not that the weather was cooperating; it was cloudy and the temperature hadn't reached the sixties since our trip to the beach the day after prom. But still.
"We should get going." Edward noted. We had reached the car, and he opened the passenger door for me.
We were going to Port Angeles to get Rosalie's graduation present. She wanted a new, digital camera, so we had gotten together with Alice, Jasper and Emmett to buy her one. Edward and I had also gotten presents for Emmett and Jasper together; tickets to a concert in Seattle with a band I had never heard off, but that they apparently liked.
Edward started the car, and Three Doors Down immediately boomed from the speakers. I turned the volume down a little as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the highway.
"What do you think I should get Alice for her birthday?" I asked after a while. "She won't tell me anything that she wants, and I have no idea."
"I'm sure she'll love whatever you get her." Huh. Where had I heard that before? Twin intuition?
"I know, but I suck at the whole presents shopping thing. I have no idea where to start." Feel free to take that as a hint…
"Do you want to stop by a few places while we're in Port Angeles?" He wondered. "You might at least get some ideas."
"Sounds like a plan. We're not in a hurry to get back, anyway." Maybe I could get an idea about what to get him, too.
When we got to Port Angeles, we parked at Radio Shack and got Rose's present before heading down East Front Street. I decided that Necessities & Temptations would probably be my best shot at finding something for Alice, and as we passed by Port Book & News on our way there, I got an idea for Edward too.
Amazingly enough, I managed to find a great gift for Alice after only half an hour in the store. I held it up for Edward to look at.
"What do you think?" It was a simple, silver chain with a pendant in the shape of a heart, a green stone glittering in the center of it.
"It's really nice, I'm sure she'll love it." Having gotten his approval, I decided that I might as well buy the necklace. I paid for it, and the sales clerk gift wrapped it for me.
"Do you want to go to the bookstore before we head back?" I wondered as we left the shop, my birthday present idea slowly forming in my head.
"Sure." He checked his watch. "We've got time, I don't have to be home until dinner at seven."
I kept an eye on him as we browsed the bookstore, checking what books he looked at while I searched for… something. I wasn't quite sure what yet, but I was pretty certain I would know it when I saw it. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be in the store.
"Nothing catch your eye today?" Edward noted as he paid for a paperback edition of Dubliners.
"No." The plan had, however, continued to develop in my mind and I was suddenly eager to get home.
We walked back along East Front Street, and were soon on the highway heading towards Forks.
"Are you staying over tomorrow after the celebratory dinner?" Edward asked as he pulled up outside Charlie's house. We were going to some fancy restaurant in Port Angeles to celebrate Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper's graduation the following night. Esme had insisted that I come, since I was "practically part of the family". It had been nice hearing her say that.
Since the prom, Charlie had been a lot more easy going when it came to me spending the night at the Cullens', and I was a regular house guest there by now, staying over most Friday and Saturday nights. Charlie had started complaining that he hardly ever saw me anymore, which was probably true. I did feel a little guilty, but not enough to give up my nights with Edward. Charlie could deal.
"I think so, I'll just have to check with my dad."
"OK." He reached over and kissed me before I got out of the car. "Pick you up at nine thirty tomorrow?" The graduation ceremony started at ten.
"Sure."
I watched as he drove away, and then went into the house, heading straight to my bedroom and turning on the ancient computer that occupied my desk. Since it took forever for it to start, I went downstairs and prepared for dinner in the meantime. When I had finished making a salad and put the chicken in the oven, I went back upstairs.
I quickly logged on to eBay and started searching the site. Since I wasn't completely sure what I was looking for, it took a while. Eventually, I found something promising; a first edition leather bound copy of Great Expectations, which I knew was on Edward's top ten list. I was in luck too, the auction ended fifteen minutes later. I quickly put a bid in and waited anxiously to see if I would win.
And I did. I sent an e-mail to the seller, asking if they could send the book as soon as possible, since it was a birthday present. It had cost a little more than I had planned on spending, but I had surprisingly enough found a job for the summer in Mike's parents' store, so it wasn't that big of a deal.
Feeling very content with myself, I headed back downstairs to finish dinner before Charlie came home.
xxxxx
"Morning." Edward greeted as I got into the passenger seat of the Camaro the following morning.
"Morning." I leaned over for my hello kiss, which he was only too happy to give me.
"You missed quite a show at the house this morning." He told me, pulling out of the driveway.
"Oh yeah?"
"Rose suddenly decided that maroon wasn't her color, and tried to get the principal on the phone to force him to change the robes last minute." Edward chuckled at the memory, and I could almost see the scene in front of me. God help the person who tried to mess with Rosalie's fashion sense.
"Poor Mr. Greene." I felt sorry for the principal, having to face the wrath of Rosalie so early in the morning.
"Oh, she didn't actually get a hold of him. But it wasn't for lack of trying, that's for sure. Esme finally managed to calm her down just before I left."
"It's probably just graduation nerves." I said.
"Probably." He agreed. "She's been so completely over the moon about this for so long, it was bound to hit her eventually that high school is really over for her."
"It must be scary." I knew I was happy to have one more year of high school to prepare for the big, bad world that was waiting out there.
"At least she'll have Emmett and Jasper with her in Seattle." Edward noted.
I pondered this in silence for a while. Edward and I had – very loosely – discussed going to college together. He thought that he would probably apply to Seattle, like Emmett and Jasper, since he didn't know what he wanted to major in. I was, because of the lack of a big college fund, limited to a college in the state, so this suited me very well. But nothing was set in stone yet, of course. I tried to not let myself pictures us together at school the next year, but it was so easy to get carried away.
"You OK?" Edward's words pulled me out of my musings. "You look about a thousand miles away."
"Fine, just thinking." He didn't ask about what, but I thought he knew. Sometimes it felt like he could read my mind.
The weather hadn't improved since the previous day, so the graduation ceremony would be taking place in the gym. We walked over to the building hand in hand, and found Esme and Carlisle waiting for us outside the open doors.
"Hello, Bella." Carlisle greeted, and Esme gave me a hug.
"I can't believe it's actually here." I could see that she had tears in her eyes. "They're really graduating. All grown up."
"Where's Alice?" Edward wondered, looking around for his twin.
"She went inside to get us seats." Carlisle replied, checking his watch. "Maybe we should head in there too, it's almost about to start."
We found Alice in one of the front rows, waving at us frantically. I sat down next to her and leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"I found a great present for Edward on eBay last night."
"Really? What?" She mumbled back. Edward shot us an inquisitive look, but I ignored him.
"A first edition Great Expectations."
"That's perfect!" She exclaimed in a whisper.
"I know. I just hope it gets here in time." I had gotten an e-mail the previous night, saying that the book would be sent this morning, so it should arrive by Tuesday at the latest.
"What are you two whispering about?" Edward wondered, and I glanced at Alice.
"Nothing that concerns you." I lied smoothly, though he probably didn't believe me.
"Haven't you heard that it's rude to eavesdrop?" Alice winked at him.
Just then, the principal came up on the stage, and the room went quiet.
Carlisle probably took a hundred photos during the ceremony; he took over camera duty because Esme started crying as soon as Emmett was called on stage to get his diploma.
After the ceremony, Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper joined us outside the gym – it had finally stopped raining.
"Oh, I'm so proud of you!" Esme exclaimed, enveloping all three of them in a hug. When she finally let them go, the rest of us took turns hugging and congratulating.
As soon as the congratulations were out of the way, Rosalie pulled the robe over her head and let out a sigh of relief.
"Feel free to burn all the pictures with me in that hideous thing." She announced.
"Oh, no, Rosalie Hale, these photos will be burnt over my dead body." Esme countered. "This is the biggest day of your lives so far, and I want as many pictures as possible." Rosalie rolled her eyes.
"Fine."
I didn't know what she was so upset about; she looked as amazing in the maroon gown as she did in everything else. In all honesty, Rosalie would probably look perfect in a black garbage bag. But I did hope that they picked a more flattering color for the following year.
We went to Chicago Ru's for lunch, and then Edward and I went back to Charlie's place for a couple of hours. When Edward left at five, I packed a bag with things to bring for the night and started getting ready for the dinner with the Cullens.
Edward returned in the Volvo forty-five minutes later, with Carlisle and Esme.
The restaurant was very nice, and when I saw the prices, my eyes widened in shock. I could never afford a place like this, but Carlisle had insisted on paying for dinner.
We joked and laughed all through dinner, and the mood was high on the drive back as well. It was almost eleven when we got to the house, and Edward and I headed straight to bed. I fell asleep in his arms and dreamt of black robes and a diploma that I could never quite catch.
xxxxx
My first day at Newton's Olympic Outfitters went by as smoothly as I could ever have hoped. I didn't have to actually help any customers yet, just tag along with Mike and watch him work. He showed me where everything was located in the store – which I knew I would have forgotten by the end of the day – how to work the cash register and, most importantly, the coffee machine in the break room.
"So, do you and Edward have any plans for the summer?" Mike asked when we were having lunch in the break room. I was glad that he had stopped with the Cullen all the time, and took it as a good sign. I liked having Mike as a friend.
"Nothing that's completely decided, since we're both working almost all summer." Edward had gotten a job at the hospital, doing some filing and other things, thanks to Carlisle. Alice was working there as well, in the cafeteria. "But we do have a week off together, and might go visit my mom if we can find cheep plane tickets. How about you and Jess?"
"She went to San Francisco yesterday, to visit her aunt for a week, but we talked about maybe going away for a weekend or so in July. My parents have a place by the Quinault River that's really nice in the summer, so we might go there."
I was glad that Mike and Jessica had found each other, and not only because it meant that he no longer showed an interest in me. Jessica was happy, and Mike went around with a goofy grin on his face most of the time.
"So, big party Friday?"
I winced as Mike reminded me. I was pretty sure that Alice had invited the entire junior class, as well as a lot of seniors and quite a few sophomores.
I had asked her how she thought that everyone would even fit in the house – it was big, but not big enough to fit over a hundred people – but she had just replied that the party would be outside. When I had wondered how she could be so sure that it wouldn't be raining, like it had for the past couple of weeks, she had just laughed and said that she knew. Alice was a little funny that way – but usually right.
"Jess was totally bummed about missing it, she went on about it being "the social event of the year" or something."
I joined in when Mike laughed.
"Which only proves what a complete hole of a town we live in." I reflected.
"Very true."
The rest of the day went by quickly, and I realized that working with Mike this summer was actually going to be fun. I didn't exactly have an interest in anything that the store carried, but it wouldn't be too difficult to get the hang of it. It wasn't like I needed to go rock climbing or hiking to understand at least a little of what I was talking about.
Edward had somehow managed to get his working hours to coincide with mine, so he dropped me off at Newton's before heading to the hospital everyday, and picked me up when my shift was over. I tried to tell him that it wasn't necessary, and also out of his way, but he persisted. We spent the afternoons either at Charlie's place or the Cullens', since it was still raining and outdoor activities were out of the question.
On Friday morning, I sat waiting for him to get to the house, nervously fiddling with the present in my hands. The book had, as promised, arrived that Tuesday, and I had decided to give it to him in the morning, rather than at the party, with dozens of people around. And now, I had suddenly gotten nervous. What if he didn't like it?
When I heard his car outside, I hurried through the front door.
"Good morning." He greeted as I got into the car.
"Good morning." I replied. "Happy birthday." I leaned over and gave him a kiss.
"Mmm, nice present." He mumbled when I pulled back.
"That's not your present, silly." I held out the wrapped parcel, and he frowned as he took it.
"I told you I didn't want anything."
"And I told you that I would get you something anyway." I countered.
I waited anxiously as he carefully removed the wrapping paper. His eyes went wide as he saw what it was, and I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.
"Wow, Bella, it's amazing." He turned the book over in his hands, his fingers almost caressing the worn leather. "Where did you find it?"
"EBay." I shrugged.
"I love it, thank you so much." He gave me a tight hug. "What did I do to deserve you?"
"I have no idea."
xxxxx
Oddly, though not surprisingly, enough, the sun broke through the clouds at noon that Friday. I realized that the light outside had changed when I was helping a lady find hiking boots. When she was satisfied, I quickly left the store and looked up at the sky. Sure enough, there were already a couple of blue spots in between the clouds. I muttered something about Alice joining the local weather channel as I went back inside.
"Nice weather for a party." Mike noted as we locked up the store together later that afternoon. The sky was now almost completely blue, only a few fluffy clouds lining the horizon.
"Good thing, since it's supposed to be outside."
"I guess I'll see you in a couple of hours then." Mike waved goodbye as he walked over to his car, and I slid into the passenger seat of the Camaro.
"How does Alice do it?" I complained.
"Hello to you too." Edward chuckled.
"Hi." I smiled sheepishly at him. "I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. Does she have a crystal ball or something?"
"I don't know, she's always been a bit weird that way." Edward followed Mike out of the parking lot. "Even when we were kids. Esme would suggest having a picnic, and Alice would say something like, "it's going to rain tomorrow" and, sure enough, it always did."
"You do realize that that's a bit freaky."
"I agree." He chuckled. "But also very handy."
He dropped me off at my place, having been ordered by Alice to go straight home after work so he could help her set everything up and get ready for the party.
I quickly packed everything I needed for the night and the following day in my overnight bag. We had decided to revisit the meadow in the woods, assuming, of course, that the weather cooperated. I went downstairs and tossed the bag into the truck before starting to get ready. I picked out a denim skirt that Rosalie had convinced me to buy the last time we had been in Seattle, and a baby-blue top. Alice had told me that she would never speak to me again if I showed up in jeans and a t-shirt. I didn't think she would actually follow through on her threat, but I thought it was best not to risk it. Pulling my hair into a ponytail, I headed out the door and down the stairs.
Charlie would be home soon, so I took a plate of leftover lasagna from the previous day from the fridge and put it in the microwave. I didn't need any food, since Alice was going all out with a buffet and barbecue at the party.
"Bells?" Charlie called as he opened the front door just when the microwave beeped.
"Kitchen, dinner!" I called back, and he emerged in the doorway a moment later.
"You're not eating?" He wondered when he saw the single plate on the table.
"Birthday party, remember?" I grabbed my car keys from the counter. "Got to go."
"Wish them a happy birthday from me." Charlie called after me.
I jumped into the truck and started the engine, Verve Pipe's The Freshmen greeting me from the speakers. With some force, I was able to roll the windows almost all the way down, and turned the volume up as I pulled out from the curb.
Alice appeared at my side the minute I pulled up outside the big house, opening the door and pulling me out of the truck.
"You're here!" She exclaimed. "And you look really nice!"
"You don't have to sound so surprised." I muttered as I hugged her tightly. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you!" She took my hand and led me towards the house. "Come on."
"Bella!" I was enveloped in Rosalie's arms as soon as I had walked through the door.
"Hi Rose." I hadn't talked to her since she and Emmett had left for Seattle the previous Saturday.
"I've missed you!" She said, releasing me.
"I've missed you too. How's Seattle?"
"It's great, actually, but I think I've gotten a case of homesickness." She frowned. "I've always hated Forks, but now I actually miss it."
"Really?" It sounded impossible to me. Sure, friends and family, but not the town itself.
"She's just getting sentimental." Emmett came up and gave me a bone crushing hug, lifting me at least a foot off the floor. "Hey kiddo."
"Can't breathe, Emm." He chuckled as he put me down.
"Ready to party? Ali's really gone all out on this one." That was when I first noticed the patio and the back garden outside the open glass doors. There were three large party tents behind the patio; the buffet set up under one of them, tables and chairs under another, and the third one covering a wooden dance floor. Next to the Jacuzzi, Carlisle was lighting the grill while Esme supervised.
"Wow." I was amazed. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought that I had left Forks, and Washington altogether, and ended up in California or Florida. I was reminded of a garden party in Phoenix that Renée had dragged me to a couple of years earlier. "We're definitely not in Kansas anymore." The others laughed.
"I tried to tell her that it's too much, but you know Alice." Edward's arms came around me and encircled my waist. I twisted a little so I could give him a kiss.
"It's just enough." Alice objected. "This is going to be the greatest party this town has ever seen.
"I have no doubt about that." I had to give her credit; if anyone could pull off something like this, it was Alice. "Hey, Ali, do you want your present now or later?"
"I told you I just wanted you to come to the party!" She tried to sound annoyed, but I could hear the excitement shine through.
I handed her the wrapped box and waited as she opened it.
"Oh, it's so pretty!" She exclaimed as she held up the necklace. The green gem sparkled in the sunlight. "And it goes perfectly with my outfit." She was wearing a short, black skirt and a white Babydoll top.
"Anything goes with your outfit, Ali." Rosalie pointed out, but Alice ignored her.
"Will you put it on?" She handed me the necklace, and I fastened it around her neck. She checked her reflection in the mirror, and then gave me a hug, which was quite a feat, considering Edward's arms were still wrapped around my waist. "I love it, thank you."
"She has quite the gift for finding perfect presents, doesn't she?" Edward said, placing a kiss on the top of my head.
"Did you give him the book already?" Alice asked, and I nodded. "I told you he would love it, didn't I?"
Pretty soon, people started arriving, and we all tried to mingle as best we could. After a while, I ended up on the patio with Angela and Ben.
"This place is huge." Ben noted. I shrugged.
"You get used to it. I barely ever get lost anymore, you just have to remember to take a right at the moat, or you'll end up in the east wing. And stay out of the dungeons unless you have a bunch of breadcrumbs at hand."
"You do practically live here, Bella." Angela laughingly pointed out.
"I do not." I felt a little bad; I knew I had been neglecting Angela the past week. We didn't see each other in school anymore, and I hadn't gotten around to calling her yet. But she had a boyfriend too, and a summer job, so I knew she understood.
"Shopping trip to Port Angeles next weekend?" She now suggested with a smile.
"Sounds great." Angela was a really good friend, and I promised myself to see her more often from then on.
"You want to bring Alice along too, so I can get Jasper out on a hike in the park?" Edward asked, joining us on the patio.
"Sure, it'll be fun." I said, and Angela nodded.
Soon after everyone had finished eating, people started dancing to the music coming through the open glass doors, and a few jumped into the pool or the Jacuzzi. I spotted Mike talking to a couple of other guys from our year, and went over to say hi.
"Are you having fun?" I asked, and he nodded.
"Sure. The food was great, and me and the guys were just talking about taking a swim." He looked skeptically at the pool. "It is a little cold, though."
"The water is heated." I assured him, and that seemed to settle the deal, because the two other guys pulled him along into the house to change into swim trunks.
People started leaving a little before eleven, and by half past, all the guests were gone.
"How about a dip in the Jacuzzi before bed?" Rosalie suggested, and we all agreed. Emmet, Jasper and Rosalie already had their swimwear on, so they jumped straight in while the rest of us went in to change.
The warm water was a nice contrast to the by now slightly chilly air. After a while, Esme and Carlisle came out and said goodnight before heading to bed.
We stayed in the tub talking and laughing until after midnight. Alice and Jasper were first to leave, and shortly after them, Emmett and Rose went to bed too.
"Alone at last." Edward mumbled, pulling me close for a kiss.
"Finally." I agreed, wrapping my arms around his neck.
His arms came around my waist, and he lifted me into his lap. I moved around a little until I was straddling his legs and pressed myself closer to him. I was rewarded with a low groan. His hands tangled in my hair and he pulled me even closer.
"Maybe we should take this someplace a little more private?" He suggested. I smiled and pulled him with me out of the Jacuzzi.