Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews everyone!! I hope you aren't disappointed with this one!! I will be honored if you decide to review this one. I will deeply appreciate it!!! Thank you for reading =]

Love,

Mel

23. Party

The morning light stunned my eyes once again as I slowly awoke in Ronan's cold arms. I couldn't believe the sun was peeping through the clouds for the second day in a row. I smiled up at Ronan, who was tracing my jaw with his index finger.

"Happy seventeenth birthday." He whispered in my ear, glancing over at my holographic clock which miraculously read the exact time I was born.

"Mmmm…" I sighed, stretching my stiff arms and sitting up.

He swiftly moved out from under me off the bed and threw on his t-shirt. "Your mother should be waking up soon. I'll let you get ready and I'll be here at noon to take you to my place."

I smiled. "I can't wait." I told him groggily.

He smiled back at me. "Neither can Alice."

I shook my head; I could only imagine what she had planned in the little cottage of theirs.

I closed my eyes again, still smiling, and when I opened my eyes again, he was gone out my window. I got up then and got into my pajamas before practically skipping down the stairs for breakfast. I couldn't even contain the amount of happiness I was feeling. I'd never felt this way in my entire life.

I quickly ate some cereal and bounded back upstairs, hoping Alice had left me something today, but again I was disappointed to find the counter bare. How was I supposed to know how to dress for my birthday party with the unmistakably stunning Cullens?

After washing up and applying make-up in the bathroom, I quickly ran into my closet, the one I realized was finally restored by the workers most likely while I was at school one day last week, and began digging through the wardrobe Alice caused me to neglect. Since it was warm again, I settled on a light flowing knit t-shirt in dark purple; a shirt I hadn't worn since I left the confines of sunny Honolulu. I put on my dark skinny jeans and black stilettos for Alice's sake, and then quickly pranced back down the stairs, catching my self on the railing several times before I could plunge to my death at the end of the stairs. Damn stilettos.

I decided to kill time watching DHDTV in the living room, but couldn't seem to keep my knee from bouncing as I watched a rerun of an old hospital drama. I heard my mother descend the stairs about half way through the show, and she too came into the living room.

"What are you doing up so early?" She asked as she came up behind the leather couch I was sitting on.

I glanced at the analog on the wall nervous by her impossible statement, and breathed a sigh of relief when I realized it was a eleven-thirty. Only a half-hour until I saw Ronan again. "Mom, it's 11:30." I informed her.

She came around the couch and plopped down next to me in her pajamas, a mug of tea probably from her bedside steaming in her hands. "Well, the twins are still asleep, and you seemed exhausted last night. Where did you have your picnic? Did you hike for a long time or something?"

I tried to hide the smile that played on my lips. Something like that… "I'll tell you about it tonight when we go for ice cream, Mom."

She smiled and rustled my hair. "Sounds good, birthday girl. So what are your plans for today?"

I thought for a moment, thinking of a cover story for the Cullens throwing me a birthday party. I'm sure she would've insisted on coming and meeting my boyfriend's parents. "We're going on a walk through the woods." I lied flawlessly.

She shook her head. "My, this Ronan is very outdoorsy," She looked down at my outfit. "Are you sure you're up for it in those shoes?"

I looked down, remembering the stilettos. "Oh, um, I should probably change, shouldn't I?" I asked, playing dumb.

She nodded and chuckled. "I think it'd be a good idea. I know how you are in heels, Ava…"

I put my hand up to keep her from continuing. "Got it, Mom. We don't need any specific examples."

She smiled, but then the phone rang, and she gave me a sympathetic look after she looked at the holographic caller ID suspend in the air over the phone on the coffee table in front of us that read Todd Ardus.

"You need to take that, Mom. We'll talk later." I assured her.

She nodded, still eyeing the ringing phone. "Okay, Ava." She gave me a hug. "This may be a long call. You have fun on your birthday date with Ronan."

She pulled away and I nodded. "I will."

She reached for the phone then and put it to her ear. "Todd." She greeted, heading for the kitchen.

I glanced at the clock. We killed ten minutes talking. My knee was already bouncing again. Why was time going by so slow?

I decided to run upstairs and check my pod phone that stayed off since last night, but I was interjected by the twins descending the steps with smiles on their faces.

"Ava!" Allison yelled exuberantly. "We were hoping you'd be awake." I glanced over at Alicia coming down hidden behind her, evidently holding something behind her.

"What's going on?" I asked them.

They didn't answer my question, and when they were down the stairs, they stood next to each other, their faces identically illuminated, obviously hiding something.

"This is from Allison and me," Alicia told me as she revealed a small, black velvet box with a tiny pink bow stuck on the top from behind her back. "Happy birthday, Ava."

I smiled and took the tiny box from her hand. I looked up at them. "You guys really didn't have to do this."

"Shut up and open it." Allison ordered me, smiling.

I looked down at the box again, and opened it carefully. I gasped when I found a small, silver heart-shaped locket with a cursive "A" engraved on the front. I looked up at the now triumphant pair and Allison flicked her hand at me. "Go on. Look inside."

I took the tiny locket out of the box and opened it. I couldn't believe what was held inside.

One side held a digital slide show of pictures from when my mother took pictures of us on the breath-taking beach in Turks and Caicos when the twins were about five and I was nine or ten. I remembered the day perfectly.

My father got called to an urgent business trip in Hong Kong while we were on a family vacation. My mother, as always, hid her disappointment and took us on a shopping spree for white clothes, then brought us to the play ground on the beach where she pushed us on the swings and snapped pictures with the camera she bought while we were at the mall that was conveniently on the resort. The camera cost more than two nights stay at our all-inclusive, 5-star hotel because it was fit for a high-paid professional photographer.

My mother was luckily tech savvy, and worked the complicated device flawlessly, taking exquisite pictures of us laughing and swinging on the swings in our white dresses, the lush landscape of palms trees amid exotic flowers planted by the resort and the bright blue afternoon sky serving as our backdrop.

When we went on a walk later around sunset, my mother asked a young couple to take some pictures so she could get into a few with us in front of the orange, dropping sun over the vast, crystal-like ocean.

These were the images that filled the locket my sisters gave to me. The pictures that were like pieces of art in my mind; my mother's laughing, care-free face as she embraced us on the shore, my sisters and I holding hands as we laughed and swung on the swings in our matching outfits; the way the Jameson's were supposed to be all along. Happy, loving, and independent.

The tears began rolling down my cheeks when I read the engraving beside the digital slide show:

"Friends come and go, but sisters are forever. We love you.

Allison + Alicia"

"Thank you so much," I sniffed as I took them into a hug.

"We're so glad you like it," Allison replied as she hugged me back tightly, "See, Leesh, I told you she'd like the white gold better."

I felt Alicia shrug while in my arms. "You have to admit the yellow gold was cute. It wasn't tacky like you swore it was."

I laughed through my happy tears as I pulled away from my sisters. Alicia smiled at me, "But I'm glad we got the white. The silver looks better with the pictures and brings out Ava's eyes better."

"I'm sure Alice will appreciate that," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes. I took the locket out of its box and clasped it around my neck. I took the pendent between my thumb and finger, marveling at its perfection. "This is so beautiful."

Suddenly, I was startled by the doorbell ringing. I glanced around for a clock, but couldn't find one. "What time is it?" I asked the twins frantically.

I didn't realize Allison had her pod phone in her hand. She glanced at the small ear piece. "Ten to twelve. Why?"

How did the time pass so quickly? And why was he so early? I went to answer the door eagerly, but then paused. I looked up at the partly cloudy sky, breathing a sigh of relief when I realized a billowing puff had covered the sun right on cue. I smiled, opening the door to a very exuberant Ronan.

"Hey," I breathed.

He took my hand. "Ready?"

I felt the twins scurry to my side as I stepped out the door. I turned to them, seeing their expressions posing disbelief before they quickly composed themselves. I smiled. "Allison, Alicia, this is Ronan."

He let go of my hand to shake theirs. "Pleasure to meet you, girls. I've heard a lot about you." He side glanced at me and winked.

Alicia giggled like a ditzy blonde and began twirling her dark brown hair with her finger. I couldn't stifle the smile that turned the corners of my mouth. Ronan was truly… dazzling. "Well we've heard absolutely nothing about you." She shot a glare in my direction. I shrugged.

I took his hand again, looking into his smoldering golden eyes. I sighed. He never seized to make me swoon. "We better get going. I don't want to be out too late." I squeezed his hand. I was a little nervous to find out what Alice had in store for me, but nevertheless, I was anxious to leave before the sun came out and exposed his secret in front of the twins. Despite the fact their maturity level had sky-rocketed in the past few days, there was no predicting what they would do when they saw my boyfriend sparkle.

He nodded at me then turned back to the girls. "Well, looks like we'll be going. It was very nice to meet you." He told them politely.

Allison waved shyly and giggled. "Have fun."

I led him outside, smiling back at the twins reassuringly as we headed for the woods behind the house. When we were hidden under the canopy of green, Ronan swiftly cradled me in his arms and took off through the woods, dodging trees and leaping over the shallow river in the process. When the green was finally finished swirling around me, I found myself in the small clearing, the ever-so familiar fairytale cottage in front of me. The sun was out now, casting beams of light through the trees that hung over us, making the house look even more numinous. I blinked a few times, making sure I wasn't hallucinating.

Ronan took my hand and began gently leading me towards the house. "We better get in there before Alice explodes." He grumbled, smiling all the while.

I nodded, swallowing hard. Just be yourself. Just be yourself…

Before Ronan could even get his hand on the knob, Alice whipped the front door open swiftly, smiling a grin so large it seemed as though it would fall off her pixie-like face.

"Happy birthday, Ava!" She squealed, leading me into the cottage.

I took in the familiar surroundings, shivering as I remembered the pain I experienced the last time I'd been here. But my situation was different now. The pain was over. I was with Ronan, had a clean slate with my revised family, and now, I realized as I looked at the beaming faces that filled the small place, a new family. Even Rosalie managed a smile on her angelic face as she sat next to the smirking Emmett on the small ottoman by the fireplace. I smiled back at them, my heart swelling.

When we were in the small, open living room of the cottage, Alice turned me towards her and she gave me a once over. She flicked my bangs over to the side a little more and smoothed a stray strand of pin-straight hair before smiling with satisfaction.

"I've taught you well." She stated triumphantly as I smiled back at her.

"You sure did." I took in the rest of the room then, noticing the intricate flowers made of tissue paper that wrapped around the beams of the ceiling and twisted around the small chandelier over the kitchen table, which was covered with an expensive looking lace table cloth and held pink roses that matched the decorative flowers that lined the ceiling in a crystal vase.

"Wow." I breathed under my breath, and I saw all the vampire heads perk up. I chuckled stupidly when I realized they could hear me. "This… this is amazing, Alice. You really went all out."

She rolled her eyes at this. "It's like you don't know me at all, Ava. This is what I do."

"Avs!" I heard Nessie's voice come from behind Alice in the kitchen. "Come sit down at the table! Esme and I didn't bake this thing for nothing!" She was hauling the biggest cake I'd even seen in my life into the small kitchen, one so tall it would probably hit the light hanging over the table when she set it atop the table.

Pink frosting flowers- ones that matched the ones in the vase of course- lined the edges of the five layer cake on top of the chocolate frosting that coated the entire exterior. Candles were stuck into each of the layers, fifteen exactly I counted, besides the one on top that was also shaped as a pink rose, which I figured was for good luck.

I shook my head and glared at Alice, who was still smiling, amused, as I felt a hand touch the small of my back and begin to guide me to the table.

"Just go with it." I heard Bella's voice tell me as she led me to the table where Esme was excitedly lighting all the candles at warp speed. Soon I was sitting in the chair, and I heard them begin to sing. My jaw couldn't help but drop. I'd never heard "Happy Birthday" sung so perfectly on pitch before.

I blew out the candles in a daze, completely forgetting to make a wish, but chuckled when I realized my wish had already come true as the family clapped politely around the table.

Esme snatched the cake away as if she were expecting me to could put a finger in it to have a taste like an excited five year-old. I sighed then. "How do you guys expect me to eat this whole thing?"

I heard a laugh come from where Esme had taken the cake. Jacob was standing in front of the cake, cutting it into large pieces at the bottom. "What? Did you expect me to leave my partner in crime out in the cold?"

I smiled at him, remembering I still had an entire concoction of blonde jokes to share with him, when Rosalie stalked over to me and hesitantly gave me her hand. "Hello, Ava. I'm sorry our introduction is so incredibly late." I shook her hand, smiling reassuringly.

"Oh it's fine. I completely understand. It's very nice to meet you, Rosalie." I told her, and her smile became less nervous.

"Better watch your back, Blondie. She's got a nasty collection of jokes for me from what I hear." I shot a glare at Jacob as he brought me a piece of cake on a pink plate.

I laughed a bit too loud. "He's just… you know… I had this friend that well… she isn't my friend anymore… but I just…" I stuttered.

Rosalie chuckled and flipped her beautiful blonde locks. "Oh, Ava, it's okay, I consider myself very lucky to be a blonde," she looked me up and down, and clucked her tongue, "At least I don't suffer a severe case of Gingervitis."

My eyes widened as I glanced down at my skin that was looking more ghostly than ever due to the lack of sun, and my reddish hair that contrasted with it greatly. I looked back at Rosalie, who was smirking, clearly amused, as Jacob leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Its war."

Rosalie obviously heard and nodded, as I took a bite of the delicious chocolate cake, wracking my brain for one that would catch her off guard, "Hey, Rosalie. Have you ever heard this one? One blonde asked the other blonde which was closer, the moon or Florida, and you want to hear what she said?"

Rosalie's eyes widened when she heard this. I caught her. "Um…"

"She said," I cut her thinking off and answered in my ditziest voice, "'Duhhh. Can you see Florida?'"

Jacob burst out laughing, clearly being new to this joke as well. Rosalie's jaw dropped, but even she couldn't resist laughing along with us.

Jacob raised a hand to me, and I high-fived it victoriously. "That was pure gold, Little Avs! That's one zero us, Blondie. You better step it up."

I shrugged at Rosalie, who winked at me and smiled evilly. "Looks like I'm going to have to find some recruits. Oh Emmett!" She trilled.

Crap, I thought, as I searched around the cottage for Ronan, but he was no where in sight. Damn it, Damn it, Damn it…

I didn't even see Emmett approach when he appeared with his arm around Rosalie, smiling wide. He just couldn't wait to rip on me.

I glanced around for Ronan again and saw Edward watching me with an amused look on his face. I'm sure he could hear my frantic thoughts, while Carlisle and Esme looked very uncomfortable in the corner, wanting nothing to do with what was about to happen. Jasper and Alice were too involved in looking into each others eyes to offer any support. Where the hell was Ronan?

Emmett sighed. "From what I've heard, it seems as though my Little Avs isn't so little anymore…"

Oh God. I examined my split ends. "Not in front of your parents…" I sang under my breath, hoping he would take the hint.

Emmett gave me a reassuring look. "Oh, no worries, Avs, they're already well informed."

I shot him a look of horror, feeling my face heat and my heart beat to quicken. "Emmett." I sneered as a whisper, as I glanced over at Carlisle and Emse, who now started talking mindlessly about the weather a bit too loudly, and I heard a soft chuckle come from Edward and Bella slapped him across the back of the head like the three guys on that one famous sitcom from the twentieth century… the- Three Stooges?-, looking just about as embarrassed as I probably did. If she were human, I could've sworn she'd be blushing right along with me. Jasper and Alice looked up at us, snapped out of their daze.

"How…" I asked, exasperated.

"There are no secrets in a cottage full of super naturals, no matter how hard you try to hide them." He informed me.

I buried my face in my hands, mortified, and Emmett laughed. "I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to go in that meadow with a straight face ever again… you know I knew that blanket Alice packed was just way too big for just a picnic…"

I whipped my head up. "Emmett, please!" I yelled, causing round of laughs to begin in the small cottage, and a booming one that I easily recognized. Ronan was standing by the door, trying to stifle his laughter with his hand, but failing miserably. He was in hysterics.

"Ronan!" I scolded, and he came over to my side in lightning speed. He took my hand. "Okay, Emmett, enough harassing my girlfriend."

Emmett and Rosalie looked at each other. "Looks like I just scored you two points, babe." He kissed her on the head and she shrugged at me.

I squinted my eyes. "It's on, Blondie."

She squinted back at me, smirking. "Bring it, Ginger."

Ronan pulled me away from the table then, taking me to the front door. I was puzzled. "We're leaving already?"

He shook his head. "I just can't wait to show you your present any longer."

"Didn't you already show her it?" Emmett shouted as we walked out the door.

"Shut the hell up, Emmett." Ronan growled, still smiling as Emmett's laugh, one that was even louder than Ronan's, echoed through the cottage.

Ronan turned to his family, "We'll be right back in, okay?"

They nodded, and he led me outside, where two amazing surfboards sat. I gaped at them, one covered in blue hibiscus flowers and the other that was covered in large pink, blue and yellow dots. I gasped when I saw the extremely rare logo near the top.

"Roxy!?" I practically screeched. "They discontinued these boards almost sixty years ago! How did you…?"

"Let's just say I have some connections." He smirked, and I shook my head. The Cullens could take advantage of just about every soul that laid eyes on them.

"Oh my God," I breathed as I hesitantly reached out to touch the board, afraid it would disappear as I did so. Surfing became one of my favorite hobbies, since the first time my dad taught me how in the Hamptons during the summer before his drinking problems began. I was six and I finally swallowed my fear, stood up and rode my first wave. My father was so happy; he brought me out to ice cream with my mom and the toddler twins. He hugged me and told me he loved me, and that he was so proud of me. Tears scorched in my eyes. That was probably my last memory of him doing so.

I looked over at the other board then, shaking my head. "Quicksilver," I breathed. "What? Are you apart of some vintage surfboard conspiracy?"

He laughed. "No, I actually sold this Roxy one a very long time ago, and when I found out the owner had died, I bought it back. It was my mothers." He cringed, and I held his hand tighter. "I tried to teach her how to surf once. Let's just say she was no prodigy."

I beamed, my heart swelling, but I couldn't help but ask, "Ronan?"

"Yeah?" He replied.

"This is perfect, and so sweet," I shook my head. "But where the hell are we supposed to surf?"

He let out a booming laugh. "I was expecting that, and the answer is, well, this isn't your only present." He smiled and pulled two, yellow tickets out of his back pocket. I gasped when I saw the destination of the shuttle tickets I could've gotten us for free. "Brazil!?"

He shook his head. "What private island is right off the coast of Brazil?"

"We're going to Isle Esme!?" I squealed a bit too loudly, probably causing many with sensitive ears inside to chuckle.

He nodded.

"And we can go surfing?" I cried.

"We can do it when ever we want, Avs." He lowered his voice.

"That's what she said!" I heard the booming voice bellow from inside the cottage. Emmett, I guessed, but I was confused.

"Who said what?" I asked Ronan dubiously.

He shook his head and laughed. "A pun from the twenty-first century that just never caught on." The sun came out again; casting beams on Ronan and making him shimmer like thousands of diamonds. I suddenly felt lust for him all over again. I pulled him closer.

"When are we going?" I asked.

"Spring break." He stepped closer and breathed me in, grazing my neck with the tip of his nose hesitantly. His cold touch burned my skin.

"Mmm…" I groaned, and he chuckled. He pulled back to look at me then, and I sighed. "So, I take it the Volturi aren't coming for us anymore?"

He shook his head. "The future must have changed its course. Alice hasn't gotten anymore visions of them. Of our vacation, however…" He traced the crevices on my face with his finger.

"Crap," I chuckled as he continued to caress the bridge of my nose, causing me to shiver. "How bad was it?"

He sighed. "Let's just say when I saw her flinch after her vision and I took a look into her memories, what she saw was very vague. It was obvious she was trying to block out the mental image of our future."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't manage to hold back the excited chuckle. "Oh boy…"

"Oh boy is right." He stroked my hair.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I could just imagine us on the beautiful island. Ronan and I lying on the warm beach under millions of stars, him sparkling under the water as we snorkeled through the vibrant tropical fish in the massive coral reefs. And the flowers; all the beautiful colors that would engulf us as we stepped off the boat that brought us to our paradise. "I hope there are flowers." I told him randomly, "That's what I miss most about Honolulu. All the colors."

"Crap, she was right," I heard Ronan mutter under his breath.

He let go of my hand swiftly, and began running, swirling around me at mass speeds which caused my hair to whip around my head. He then climbed the tree closest to us, and picked a few pines off the tree before returning down.

He stood in front of my very confused face then and smirked, holding out a small bouquet of lilac-like flowers and daisies, along with a few pines to go along with it. I took it from him, still very confused.

"Alice told me that you missed flowers, but I refused to believe it. They gave you the worst allergies in Honolulu, Avs."

I laughed. "At least they gave the place some vibrancy though, you know? Green all the time gets too boring. I have to wait for the sun to come out to get that same feeling." I grinned at him and reached for his sparking face that brought vibrancy into the dark place I now called home, but he took my hands and began to dance with me to the rhythm of the bird's songs with the sun shining down on his sparkling skin. His eyes were so intent on mine, a nuclear war could've begun and he wouldn't have noticed, and neither would I. Right there, right then, nothing else mattered besides Ronan. He was my life, and I could tell I was his, and for the first time, I was loving every minute of it.

But then he stopped abruptly, sniffing the air frenetically. I looked at him in confusion. "Ronan, what's the ma-…"

But he cut me off by spinning around to face something he gave the most horrifying glare I had ever seen. "Oh. My. God." He emphasized each word like they would be the last he'd ever utter, where as I was still trying to figure out what he was looking at.

Then, I saw them. I spotted the unfolded pod phone first, one with the record light flashing next to the small but accurate camera lens. It took me a second to comprehend the situation before I could make out the three faces that were staring back at us from the woods about twenty yards away. Max, Cindy and Katrina were standing next to each other in awe as Ronan and I stared back at them with the same expression.

"We need to get out of here, Max. Someone's gonna get hurt." I heard Cindy say urgently even from that far away, and Max let his arm drop then when he realized we knew he was there, and he said loud enough for me to hear, "I can't believe it. He wasn't crazy. He was right."