DISCLAIMER: These beautiful characters unfortunately do not belong to me. They belong to the fantastic Stephenie Meyer. I'm just playing around with them….and using them for my own pleasure.

Thanks: Huge thanks to everyone who reviewed. Also thanks to everyone who added me to their alerts and favourites list.

A/N: Ok, I'm back. The trip away was fun, but I'm bloody sick again. Lost my damned voice. Fun Times. The girl sitting next to me on the plane was coughing her guts up, so I was in the line of fire. I hate this time of year in Australia. The weather has just started to get really cold, and I always get sick. Anyway, I am back, and I hope to update as often as I can. I am also job hunting at the moment, so that also is taking up a fair bit of my time.

So, this is really just a filler chapter. Should be a bit more action coming up in the next update.

FEELING A MOMENT

CHAPTER 14 - Optimus, Chinese Food & Meerkats

BPOV

The two nights spent with Edward were wonderful. So wonderful that it made me wish that I could spend many more with him. I hated that I didn't get to spend much time with him. But we promised to see each other again over the weekend, and I'd try my damned hardest to be able to spend the night with him on Saturday.

It was six o'clock on Thursday evening by the time I parked my car at my apartment building. I'd had classes this morning, and then done my four hour shift at the café. I'd stopped at the store on the way home and picked up the ice cream and chocolate for the movie night I had planned with Alice. We also planned to order in some Chinese, but we'd do that once I got home.

"I come bearing yummy fatty food," I sang out to Alice as I stepped into the apartment.

I dropped my backpack by the door, and made my way to the kitchen. I found Alice at the bench with her chin resting in the palm of her hand, and her bottom lip jutted out in a sad pout. Oh no, something was wrong.

"Is everything okay Alice?" I asked as I placed the bag of snacks on the bench.

"How could you not tell me Bella? I thought we were friends," Alice frowned.

My stomach lurched. Shit! She'd found out about me and Edward. But how? Maybe someone had seen us. But where? It's not like we've been out in public flaunting our relationship. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't realised Alice was still talking.

"I mean, birthdays are special and they're something you celebrate with those you care about. Why didn't you want us to know it was yours this weekend?"

Wait. What?

Ok, so she didn't know about Edward. But she knew my birthday was this weekend, and that was even worse. Double shit!

"How? Who told you?" I stammered out my quick questions.

Alice huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Your dad called this afternoon and mentioned it. But that doesn't matter. Why didn't you tell me?" she narrowed her eyes at me.

I'm going to kill Charlie. Back stabber. I know he did this on purpose.

"Birthdays are over-rated," I shrugged as I went back to my bag of goodies. I pulled out the tub of ice cream and chucked it into the freezer. "I've never been a fan of them. Well, mine anyway. I don't mind celebrating other peoples, but mine, no thanks," I shook my head.

I'd pushed my birthday right into the back of my mind. To be honest, I'd almost forgotten about it. I hated even just the idea of my birthday. I couldn't stand having people fawning over me, and I hated it when people brought me gifts. I'd been like it as a child too. It had all started on my eighth birthday. My mother had given me a Barbie doll, and I remember chucking the biggest hissy fit known to man because she hadn't given me what I'd wanted and actually asked for; an Optimus Prime Transformer. I stomped around for the rest of the morning, giving her the evil eyes.

At the time, my parents had been split for a year or so, and they'd just hit that stage where they were competing against each other and trying to win me over. Lets just say that my dad won this round when he turned up later that day for my party with the Optimus Prime toy. To this day Optimus sits proudly on a shelf in my room at Charlie's.

But it was my next birthday that completely ruined things for me. Renee and Charlie went crazy. They both wanted to be number one in my eyes, and they thought they could do it with stacks of gifts. At one stage I even remember my mother wanting to get me a damn Pony. Why she wanted to get me a Pony I have no clue why. I probably would have ended up killing the poor thing. By the time my thirteenth birthday rolled around, I'd had enough. I told them they were idiots and that they could stick all the gifts up their asses. Birthdays were dead to me.

Thanks very much mum. Thanks very much dad.

"Bella, this is me you're talking too," Alice stomped her foot. "Birthdays mean celebration, and celebration equals Alice," she giggled. "Please, you have to let me organise a party for you".

"How does no sound?" I sighed in frustration.

Alice let out a sigh of her own. She wasn't going to get her way and she knew it. "Well, how about just a dinner then? I'll make a reservation at that new Japanese Restaurant," she looked at me with her Puss in Boot eyes. She had her hands clasped together, and it really looked like she was praying.

Perhaps I should let her have this one thing. She'd been so good to me since i'd moved here. I owed her.

"Okay, fine," I still groaned about it. "Dinner. But that's it. No gifts and no stupid happy birthday or jolly good fellow songs. I mean it Alice. If I as so much as get a whiff of a gift or a friggin burning candle on a cake, I will be out of there," I told her my rules.

"Okay," she jumped excitedly on the spot and clapped her hands. "I'll call my family, and you make sure you invite your friends Ben and Angela," I watched as Alice started counting off on her fingers.

"I will," I nodded in agreement.

"Do you mind if I invite Edward?" Alice looked back at me. "I'm pretty sure he has the night off on Saturday. He might like to come," she added.

Oh crap. Now he's going to know it's my birthday. He's going to be pissed that I didn't tell him. Whoopsie.

"Um, yeah sure. Invite whoever you want," I stupidly told her as I walked away; clearly uninterested. Great, now she'll probably invite the whole of San Francisco.

I was over this birthday crap already, and it was still two sleeps away.

While I took a quick shower, Alice called up everyone telling them all about my craptastic birthday dinner. I was in my bedroom putting on a pair of sweats when my phone beeped at me from my desk. I picked it up, opening the message.

Uh oh.

Isabella.
You are in so much trouble.
Edward.

I groaned and flopped down onto my bed. He'd obviously already heard about my birthday from Alice. He was probably going to rip me a new one. Ah well, I'd just have to distract him with sex or something. He was the horniest guy I'd ever met; he wouldn't pass it up.

"Bella, the Chinese is here, and I've got the first movie ready," Alice's voice hollered down the hall to my room.

My stomach grumbled at the mention of food. I hadn't eaten since mid morning and I was famished. I didn't text Edward back and decided to leave my phone in my room. Alice would flip her lid if anything or anyone interrupted our movie night.

The smell of dinner reached my nose as I walked into the lounge area. Alice had already laid the food out on the coffee table, and had some diet Pepsi's set to the side for us to drink. I sat down next to her on the couch and started piling my plate up.

"What's up first?" I asked.

"Bride Wars," she grinned at me.

"Oh cool. I haven't seen that one yet," I let out a happy moan as I took a bite of sweet and sour chicken.

I pushed my birthday right to the back of my mind once again; hoping that Alice wouldn't bring it up again tonight. I just wanted to forget about it, and sit back and enjoy my delicious food and a funny movie.

XXXX

Friday night found me on my way back to Edward's. He'd pretty much demanded when I left him on Thursday morning that I come over tonight. He'd cracked the shits earlier today when I mentioned over the phone that I wouldn't be able to spend the night because Alice had now decided that she wanted to make me a birthday breakfast tomorrow morning.

I gave him a quick text after picking up a pizza for dinner, telling him I'd be there in five minutes. He sent one back telling me not to bother knocking; to just come straight in when I arrived.

He was perched on the couch when I arrived. The TV remote was in his hand, and I could hear him muttering "crap" over and over under his breathe as he flicked through every channel trying to find something to watch.

"Hey Babe," he called out as I dumped my purse and keys on the kitchen bench.

"Hi," I smiled sweetly as I neared closer. I placed the pizza down on his coffee table, and before I had the chance to do anything else he had grabbed my hips and pulled me down to straddle his lap.

"What do you want for your birthday?" he kissed my lips softly.

I rolled my eyes and pushed at his chest, trying to escape his grasp. He held my hips tighter and wouldn't let me budge. "I don't want anything," I huffed. "So don't ask again".

"Uh uh," he scolded. "You didn't tell me it was your birthday, so as punishment, you have to let me buy you a gift," he smirked.

"Can't you just spank me instead? Seriously, I would prefer it," I tried to talk him around it.

He laughed at me and poked me in the side. "I've never met a girl who doesn't like people spending money on her".

"Surely you know by now that I am not most girls".

"But, you're my girlfriend; let me get you something," Edward started begging. "Maybe a nice necklace or a bracelet," he suggested.

"Edward, no," I frowned as I slumped forward and rested my fore-head against his shoulder.

"Okay fine," he finally sighed. "But you have to stay tonight Isabella. Please".

Oh god, now he was starting on that again. "You know I can't," I told him.

"Alice is a greedy bitch," he started to sulk.

I burst into laughter. "Oh, that's rich coming from the person who likes to hog me all to himself," I giggled.

"I like to spend time with you. Is that a crime?" he scowled.

"You like to have sex with me," I snorted as I finally managed to pull myself out of his arms. I walked to the kitchen quickly and grabbed some plates and napkins so that we could get started on the pizza.

"I'm a guy. What else would you expect," he threw his hands into the air.

I poked my tongue out at him and handed him a plate. "Just eat your dinner," I told him.

After we'd finished eating, we sat quietly together and watched Animal Planet.

"If you can get me a baby Meerkat for my birthday, I'd definitely accept it," I cooed as I watched the cute little things running around on the TV.

"Isabella, those things are vicious when they get older," he laughed as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer.

"But they're so cute," I protested.

How could he not see that. They were the cutest things I'd ever seen.

"Do you really want to wake up in the middle of the night and find one of them biting into your jugular?" he just kept laughing.

"Well, it's no worse then waking up and finding your boyfriend humping your leg like a dog in heat," I snarled at him.

He raised his eyebrows at me, and the next thing I know I'm on my back with him hovering over me. "Maybe I should give you that spanking," he said in a gruff voice.

"Promise?" I pouted.

I stroked his cheek, and ran my fingers across his bottom lip. He nipped at them and brought one into his mouth, sucking on it hard. I moaned loudly at the feeling that jolted down the length of my body.

"You know what I think?" Edward grinned. "I think you like to have sex with me too," he growled as he dropped his face into my neck and started licking lazy circles across my skin.

"You know what? I think you're right," I sighed happily as I gave myself over to him.

It'd have to be a quick one tonight. As far as Alice knew, I was out with some friends from Campus. And if I wasn't home by eleven as promised, she'd probably send the damned cops out looking for me. She claimed that she wanted to be the very first person to wish me happy birthday at twelve am. The girl was friggin insane.

Stupid damned birthdays.

XXXX

Next Chapter: Bella's birthday dinner. And will Bella and Edward's secret finally get found out.