"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Bella, happy birthday to you," Dad and I sang. I had woken up early this morning to make her pancakes for breakfast. Dad had insisted on the candles and the song, even though I tried to convince him that she would hate it.

"Guys," Bella sighed. "I told you I didn't want you to make a big deal out of my birthday."

"Bella, you're 18!" Dad replied to her dismayed attitude. "How can we not make a big deal out of it?"

"Ugh…" she groaned and pulled her covers up over her head.

"I tried to stop him," I laughed, trying to pull the covers back.

"Not hard enough, apparently," she playfully glared at me.

"Whatever, Bells," I replied. "Just eat the damn pancakes I woke up 30 minutes early to make for you. You know how much I hate waking up early."

"...thank you Lizzie," she finally agreed to come out from under her blanket sanctuary to eat the pancakes I had made.

"You're welcome!" I grinned at her. "Okay I'm gonna go get ready for school now."

I left our dad to stumble his way awkwardly through giving Bella the presents that he and Renee had gotten her. Despite her living with us for nine months now, he was still just as awkward when he was forced to show that he cared.

Bella and I had definitely grown closer since she had moved to Forks to live with us. I wasn't sure I had wanted her to move in at first, but having a full time sister had actually been really great. For the first 12 years of my life, Bella would come to Forks for one month during the summer. While I had enjoyed those visits for the most part, you could always tell that Bella hated it here. She's always been easy to read and the disdain on her face when she would arrive in Forks was always apparent.

But starting in 2002, all of Bella's complaints lead to our dad and her spending two weeks vacationing in California together instead. I had been invited, but I'd chosen not to go. Not because I didn't want to, but because my mother was sick back in Forks.

When I was nine years old, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She'd had to get a mastectomy, but even that combined with the chemotherapy hadn't been enough to save her. Things turned for the worst in 2004 and mom was tired after fighting so hard for five years. She passed away that year and not even eight months later, Bella had moved to Forks full time.

And though the changes had been tough, going to therapy had really helped. My dad had forced me to go and though it had helped, you don't easily get over the death of a parent and the sad moments really do still hit me even now.

But having Bella around more often really allowed us to get closer and I truly do love her. She was difficult to be around sometimes though. And she spent literally all her time with her boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Edward was nice enough, a little distant though.

"Lizzie?" I was interrupted from my thoughts when I heard Bella call my name from downstairs. "Are you ready? I'm leaving now and unless you want Charlie to drive you to school in the cruiser I suggest you move it along."

"Just a second!" I called downstairs, now rushing to finish getting ready. Nothing was more embarrassing than driving around in dad's police cruiser. I grabbed my sweatshirt and pulled it over my head before grabbing my backpack and rushing down the stairs and out the door.

The ride to school was quiet, but pleasant. I didn't want to bother Bella with any more birthday talk and I had to review my notes for AP Chemistry in case of a pop quiz. It was only the second week of school and that class was already kicking my ass.

After parking her monstrous truck in the school parking lot, we were almost immediately bombarded by Alice Cullen.

"Happy birthday, Bella!" she exclaimed eagerly and I rolled my eyes at Bella when she shushed her. I found it amusing when Alice just ignored her and continued her assault. "Do you want to open your present now or later?"

"No presents," Bella mumbled in response.

"Okay so later then!" Alice kept talking, not thrown off by Bella's mood at all. "Did you like the scrapbook your mom sent you? And the camera from Charlie and Lizzie?"

Damn, how did she know about that already? Bella must've texted her about it I guess.

I looked down at my notes again as Edward approached us and greeted Bella.

"Lizzie," Edward greeted me politely. "How are you?"

"Fine," I answered, glancing up at him for a second. "You?"

"Fine," he repeated my short, but pleasant answer. "Studying for Mrs. Cooper's class?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "There might be a pop quiz today and I just want to be prepared."

"Always good to be prepared," he nodded in agreement. "But between you and I, I overheard her talking about having the pop quiz on Thursday."

"Really?" I asked. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," he nodded at me.

"Oh thank god!" I exclaimed. "I was not prepared for that quiz."

"So what time are you two coming over tonight?" Alice interrupted us.

"I didn't know I was coming over tonight," Bella replied, definitely as confused as I was.

"Oh come on, Bella!" she complained. "We've been planning this party for forever!"

"I didn't even know about it!" Bella exclaimed.

"Well now you do! Lizzie, can you come?" Alice turned her attention to me.

"I can't," I sighed, genuinely bummed out. "I have to work tonight. Plus I have to study for that pop quiz on Thursday."

I worked as a waitress at The Lodge, one of the only formal sit down restaurants in Forks. I made pretty decent money and I was saving up to buy a car for when I turned 16 next year.

"I should get to class," I interrupted Alice before she could make any excuses for me not to go to work. I really needed the money. "Thank you for the invite though."

I quickly made my way to my first period class. Even though I was only a sophomore, school was tough. Between all my classes, my job at The Lodge, and my soccer schedule starting up soon I was really stretched out thin. But luckily my best friend, Jenny, was in practically all of my classes.

The day went by fairly quickly. Edward was right, there wasn't a pop quiz in AP Chem, however there was one in Spanish. We were playing badminton in gym and my team had gone undefeated all class. Soccer tryouts were this afternoon; Jenny and I were really hoping to make the varsity team, but the odds weren't in our favor because we were only sophomores. And work was pretty busy for a Tuesday night, which was good for me because the busier it is, the more tips I make. Luckily Jenny had already turned 16 and she had her license so she could drive me from soccer to the restaurant.

I got home late and was heating myself up some dinner when Bella walked through the front door of the house, sporting a new bandage on her arm.

"What'd you do this time?" I teasingly asked her.

"I tripped," she muttered before making her way through the living room and up the stairs, greeting Charlie on the way.

"She's gotta be more careful," I told Dad as I brought my plate into the living room to watch the rest of the game with him. He just grunted in response, too engrossed in the game to continue the conversation.

The next few days were weird. Edward wasn't around as much and Alice no longer greeted us in the parking lot at school in the mornings. I didn't mention anything to Bella, not wanting to upset her.

I had made the varsity soccer team, but Jenny hadn't. She was happy for me, but she was still upset and I couldn't blame her for that. Edward had been right and on Thursday I had a pop quiz in AP Chem. I wanted to thank him for the heads up, but he wasn't even at school that day and when I asked Bella where he was, she said she didn't know. Which was weird because Bella always knows where Edward is.

I got home from work on Friday and was immediately bombarded by my dad.

"Have you seen Bella at all?" he asked me frantically.

"Not since this morning when we drove to school," I answered cautiously. "I had soccer practice after school and Jenny drove me to work after."

"She hasn't been home in hours and she's not answering her phone," he was definitely panicking now. I was starting to get worried too. It was almost 10:30pm and it was a long time for her to be out without contacting us. "She left a note that she was going for a walk with Edward in the woods."

"Have you tried calling the Cullens?" I suggested.

"No answer," he sighed. "I'm calling the guys and putting together a search party."

In less than an hour, there were police officers and Dad's friends from the reservation in our backyard. Even Jacob and Billy Black were here. It had been awhile since I'd seen them, but this wasn't the way I wanted to reunite with them.

People were searching for hours and I was really getting worried. Where the hell was she? It was approaching 3 in the morning now.

"What if we don't find her?" I teared up as I talked to Jacob.

"We'll find her," he reassured me, pulling me into a hug.

It was at that moment that I saw Sam Uley, one of the older guys from the reservation come out of the woods. He was shirtless and was carrying Bella in his arms. She looked like she was passed out in his arms.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed, running across the yard with my dad right on my heels. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Sam reassured me. "Just a little shaken up."

My dad insisted on carrying her the rest of the way to the house, despite his back having been bothering him lately.

"Thank you," I told Sam sincerely before hugging him. Wow, he was really warm considering the cool weather right now. "Thank you for finding her."

"No problem," he replied gruffly before turning to go talk to Billy. I ran to catch up with my dad and helped him by opening the front door for him so he could carry Bella inside.