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Age 13

Bella

They say time flies when you're having fun.

I stared at the birthday cake in front of me. Happy 13th Birthday Bella! was written in blue icing across the rich chocolate topping. Counting the many layers of the sponge cake, I wondered idly when it was going to be finished.

"Whoo hoo!" Emmett boomed. "Bella's thirteen now!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Everyone here already is. It's not such a big deal."

"Angela's still twelve," Edward pointed out quietly, smiling crookedly at me.

I looked over at Angela, who was now blushing so furiously she could put a tomato to shame.

Even though I was thirteen, I felt like there was no difference. My feet still dangled from being too short. My hair was still the same old, boring brown. Nothing was different from my birthday last year, except for the stupid blonde who was currently sitting next to Edward–his girlfriend Tanya. She stared at me with a look of contempt; her electric blue eyes felt like they were piercing the back of my head. Her clothes were so obviously designer, that even I–who, according to Alice, had no sense of style–would know in an instant. And holy crap the makeup! Her lips were cherry red and her eyelids a light violet shade. I had never worn makeup. My lips were chapped and my fingernails were dirty with mud. Lipstick seemed like such a stupid choice for her, especially when it ended up on someone else's face.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Bells?" Emmett asked, grinning at me, while stuffing a huge chunk of cake into his mouth. He munched with his mouth wide open and swallowed loudly. "My hot new girlfriend?"

He laughed loudly and put his arms around Tanya.

I cringed back in my chair. "That's just so disgusting, Em!"

"Hey!" Edward cautioned.

"Guys, seriously. It's supposed to be a party," Alice chimed in.

"It's not going to be a party unless we're going diving at the beach," Rose said.

I stiffened. I hated how Rose always thought she was too good to be my friend. After all, when had I ever done anything to provoke her?

"What?" she continued, taunting me. "Too scary for little Bella?"

I smiled at her as sweetly as I could and stood up. "You and me. Right now. Water bombing off the sixty foot ridge."

Edward gasped out loud. "Bella!" He looked at me in astonishment. "You can't do that! Only Sam Uley and his group can, and they're sixteen!"

"Rose?" I turned to her. "What do you think?"

Rose stared at me like I was crazy. Suddenly, everyone went silent. You could've heard a pin drop.

"What?" I asked. "Too scary for you?"

Her chair scraped against the wooden floor and she stood up. "Nope. I would've done it before if Emmett hadn't stopped me. It's nothing."

I shrugged. "Whatever you say."

I wasn't in the mood to be defeated. I wasn't in the mood to be the weak link in my friendship circle.

I wasn't weak–or intimidated by waves. Well, I was going to prove just that, whether I was scared or not. But to be honest with myself, I was shaking on the inside. I had never even jumped off the twelve foot ridge. I was a strong swimmer, and I didn't believe anything was going to stop me now.

I started towards the door, only to be stopped by Edward.

"Bella, please! Don't do it." Edward's eyes looked at me pleadingly. "Rose isn't worth it."

I looked back at him, my shoulders squared. I was sick of Rose taunting me. I was sick of Tanya babying me. I wanted to prove to everyone I was unstoppable.

"God, just let her go, Edward!" Tanya yelled at Edward's silent battle with me. "Who cares what she wants to do? You're not her damn mother!"

I stood there, stunned. Stunned not because she dared to yell so loud everyone outside the beach could hear her, but because, for once, I was going to agree with her.

"She's right, Edward," I muttered quietly, staring at his feet. I didn't want to see the hurt in his eyes. We were best friends–we never fought, or argued. Those things just didn't seem possible with us. That was, until the ice queen came, I guess. "You're not my mother."

"I'm your best friend," he argued back. "And right now, I know what the best thing to do is."

"Oh yeah?" I challenged, looking him square in the eye. He had no idea what his friendship with these horrible girls was doing to me. "And what would that be, I wonder?"

Edward stepped so close to me that I could feel his breath on my face. My heart was pounding with adrenaline and the proximity of standing so close to him.

"Don't go."

I shook my head.

"Rose?" I asked, smiling over at her. "You ready?"

Rose looked at me, dislike burning in her eyes. "As ready as ever, bitch."

She took my hand roughly and yanked me out the door.

"God, you can't even defend yourself in front of Edward. I've got no competition in cliff-diving."

I kept silent as I trudged along next to her.

"Such a wimp," she sneered.

"I don't understand what I did to make you hate me so much," I blurted out without thinking.

Oh crap.

Rose stopped in her tracks and turned around to face me.

"What?"

I blushed furiously and stammered, "I…I mean, you always seem to hate me so much, and I just don't understand why."

"It's because you seemed very close to Edward, ever since I first saw you," she hissed.

I gulped. Wait, what? What did Edward have to do with any of this? She…she couldn't be jealous, could she? Or she would be mad at Tanya instead…right?

"What?" I managed to croak out.

"I care about Edward, okay?" she said flippantly. "He's one of my closest friends, so I don't want you to ruin his life for him, okay?"

"Ruin his life… how?" I retorted. What the heck was she going on about?

"Edward and Tanya are meant to be and it always looks like you're trying to steal him away. You don't deserve to be with someone like Edward. Tanya's beautiful and you're just a…a BITCH."

I shook my head, trying to make sense of everything. I knew deep in my heart that I wanted to be with Edward, but again, Rose was right. She had always been right. Edward had been drifting further and further away from me ever since he noticed that there were such things as girls in the world. Why hadn't I noticed that?

I didn't know what I was going to do with that new revelation, but for now, I was going to fulfill possibly the biggest dare I was ever going to do.

"Sorry." I didn't know what to say.

"You're going first," Rose told me. "Because you started this."

I looked at her, forcing my mouth to form a smile. "But you've done this before."

"You're stalling. Now go."

The breeze was mild, but as I stared down at the waves, they seemed as choppy as ever. The water was deadly quiet, waiting to engulf me, while the waves seemed like moving glass–smooth, but so rough. It was early September, and I was currently in Forks, not atrocious Syracuse, all because Charlie said that I could take a week off school to celebrate my birthday with my very few friends.

The weather should have been still mild and warm, but being Forks, it was cold and wet.

"I'll push you off," Rose threatened.

I looked down at the waves once more, this time my fear too overwhelming for me to bear. I shivered and shut my eyes tightly.

Three…two…one

I let out a scream of exhilaration and fright as I plunged forcefully into the dark, deep water. The angry waves immediately began to play a fierce game of tug-of-war, pulling me in different directions. As I tried to breathe in a gallon of much needed air, my throat and lungs began to burn. It was a raw and intense feeling, and I waved my arms around, the water creating friction against me so that Rose could see where I was.

I squinted up and saw the bright light and pulled myself towards the surface.

"Rose?" I tried to scream out, but all I managed was a small squeak only a whale could hear.

"Rose!" I tried again.

I began to panic. Where was she? Did she even jump? Was she still up there, probably with a giant gloat on her beautiful icy face? And…wasn't she going to get help at all? I look like I'm struggling, right? Right…

…

"Bella!" I heard a distinct male voice roar in my ear, shattering my delicate pair of eardrums.

"Wake up, Bella! Please!" This time, it was a tearful female voice. Probably Alice.

I coughed weakly, salty seawater leaking out of my mouth.

"Bella!" A voice called in relief. Edward, I realized.

"Eh-Ed…ward," I tried to call for him, but my throat and lungs were still burning, like everlasting fire.

A cool hand touched my left cheek gently. "I'm here, Bella."

I slowly opened my eyes, and gasped as bright lights seared into my eyes.

"Are you feeling okay, Bella?" Carlisle asked me. "You're not feeling any dizziness?"

I shook my head as I lifted myself slowly into a sitting position on the gritty sand. My body was aching all over, and all I wanted was this all to be a nightmare. Wake up…

Carlisle cleared this throat loudly and the sound brought me back to Earth. "Your lungs and throat–the burn is caused by the rough seawater, which is quite salty. You may notice some swelling on the outside of your throat, but you shouldn't be too worried about it. I'm sorry I can't give you some Tylenol or painkillers but it would just make the burning worse."

"I…I'm fine," I said, though my whole body was screaming it wasn't. "Th-thank you."

After Carlisle left to tell Charlie what had happened, Alice started to yell at me. However, this I was expecting. I had done a stupid thing–and all Rose had done was walk off. She hadn't even jumped. How naïve I had been to believe her.

"You could've died!" Alice yelled. "You could've disappeared. Do you know how worried we all were? How worried and nervous Edward was?"

I snapped my head around to look at him curiously. He was biting his lip gently.

"I'm sorry, Alice," I apologized. "For everything."

Edward and Alice stayed silent, and I suddenly realized that neither Tanya nor Rose were around, nor were Emmett and Angela.

"Where's Rose?" I asked, trying to break the ice. The tension in the air was already so thick I could use a knife to cut through it. I felt so stupid and useless, causing my friends so much havoc. I shuddered as I imagined telling Charlie what had happened today and suddenly felt guilt bubbling inside of me as I pictured Carlisle telling him.

"At Em's," Edward said quietly. "She's in shock. She wanted to apologize to you. It's just that she was so scared and everything."

I nodded.

"Bella," Edward said, lifting his pained eyes to meet mine. He encased my small hands in his and held them tightly. "Just promise me that you will never, ever do anything like that again. You don't know how I felt, or feel right now."

"Why should you care?" I began to mutter, as my conversation with Rose flooded back in my mind. "You have everything."

"I want my best friend back. I miss your funny side, your beautiful smile. Everything you were," Edward said abruptly. "What changed? What caused you to become so…different?"

I stood up slowly, stumbling, and mustered up a smile for him. "Nothing, Edward. Nothing has changed, but you better get back to your girlfriend before she finds out you were here comforting me."

"Fuck Tanya."

I gasped out loud. What did he just say? I had never heard Edward swear like that in my life.

"What did you just say?"

Edward looked at me with determination in his eyes. "Fuck Tanya. I don't give a shit where she is right now."

Something in my mind clicked as I saw his eyes stare back into my wide ones. So this was what Rose was saying about me pulling Edward away from Tanya. It wasn't fair, I realized. I wasn't doing anything, but at the same time, I was destroying a perfectly good relationship between my best friend and his girlfriend.

Crap.

I realized I had to go. To get out of here so he could get back to normal. I didn't belong in his life like this. I didn't deserve his goodness, his kindness. Not when I was being such a nuisance to both Tanya and Rose.

"I…I gotta go," I stuttered, wiping my dirty hands on my soaked white shirt. "Charlie…"

"Don't!" Edward shouted. He looked down, embarrassed, then said quietly, "I mean, your shirt! It's dirty."

"So?"

Edward shook his head, smiling at me and took off his own dry shirt in the cold weather.

"Here," he said, handing it to me.

"I…I can't," I said, panicking. Why was he doing this? Taking care of me all of a sudden? "I gotta go."

I ran towards our beach house, where I hoped Charlie had already begun to pack his luggage.

"Bella!" Edward shouted, running towards me.

I didn't look back. I didn't want to cause any more trouble.

"Wait up! You can't go yet! I haven't given you your birthday present yet!" Edward yelled.

I halted and turned around to look at him. "You didn't need to spend money on me, Edward."

I instantly regretted saying that, because he suddenly looked like he was about to cry. His face was confused and I threw my arms around him, not knowing what to do.

"I'll miss you, okay? I'll write letters to you and everything, as usual," Edward said, hugging me so tightly I could hardly breathe. I wished like hell he wouldn't let me go as I felt his tears dampen my shoulder.

This summer had held the best and worst memories of my life. It went from great to awful, to me feeling like crap. I had enjoyed the beach and the adventures in the forests with Edward and Emmett. I had enjoyed competing with Edward in the water gun fight we had every year. I had enjoyed the rare and miraculous sunshine and the comfort my friends had brought me, but it was time to let go…until next year. Hopefully.

"Here," Edward said, as we broke apart. "I bought you something I hoped you would like."

"I like everything you give me, Edward," I said earnestly.

Edward drew up his chest proudly, which almost made me snort…almost. "Well," he said confidently, "you'll like this then."

He handed me a small brown package, and I took it in my hands, curious about what could be inside.

I pulled out a beautiful, smooth, green stone.

"It's a stone I found while we were playing in the water earlier this month when," he laughed nervously, "when, you know….everything was fine."

"Everything is fine," I told him. "Thank you so much."

"Wait, there's more–look on the back," he said quickly. His hands were twisted together like he was nervous about something. "I know it may be stupid but…ummm…"

I rolled my eyes at his cute ramble and flipped over the stone to look at it myself.

To Bella, from your best friend Edward

Summer, 2002

"You still have my bunny right?" Edward asked, anticipating my answer with what seemed like fear.

"Of course I still have your bunny," I assured him and saw that he breathed a sigh of relief.

"You gotta come back next year."

I hesitated, not knowing what to do, or say. I wanted to come back so badly, but I didn't know what it would do to his friends and Tanya. Right now, it seemed like a better decision to just downplay it.

"Sure," I grinned. "Can't miss that epic water fight, right?"

"Sure can't," he replied, laughing.

"Okay, I have to go now," I said, my stomach flip-flopping around. I was torn, but deep inside I didn't want to leave.

"Promise you'll call," Edward called as I turned towards the beach house. "I'll write letters and everything."

I waved back, having nothing to say.

His forehead creased as he noticed I didn't say anything back, but his face broke out into a giant grin anyway. "Bye, Bella. I'll see you next year."

As he walked slowly away from my side, I couldn't resist hugging him one more time.

"Thanks for everything, Edward," I said, my voice wet with tears. "You'll always be my best friend."

Edward laughed. "One of them, you mean. You got Angela, too."

I smacked him in the head playfully. "Hey! That's so uncalled for!"

"You better get going," he said morosely. "I see Angela and Charlie loading up the car."

My shoulders slumped forward. "Yeah."

My mother didn't come this year. I didn't know what she was doing right now, but she had seemed so happy the last time I had spoken to her. It seemed like Phoenix was suiting her well. Apparently she was with a guy named Phil now.

I looked at Angela with a twinge of guilt as she loaded up my bags into the back of the car. I didn't even pack anything myself. I guess I was grateful to have her in New York and at school with me. I imagined the looks on Kate's and Irina's faces when I told them I had been with Edward and his friends up in Forks and shuddered as I thought about their reactions.

"All right there, Bella?" Angela called.

I smiled. "Sure. Coming."

I glanced around La Push one more time, and stared wistfully at Edward's retreating figure.

"Everything's going to be fine, you know that, Bella?"

I turned around and saw Angela smiling sadly at me. I hugged her tightly and then got into the car.

We were both silent as Charlie sped through the little town, green and brown specks flashing before our eyes.

"Yeah, I know."

Four Days Later

I walked downstairs, checking to see if there were any more letters on the kitchen top.

My stomach flip-flopped as I saw another one. Edward had been writing non-stop ever since I'd left. I felt guilty for not replying, but I had no idea what I should do. I felt like I was crossing the line by writing back to him. Wouldn't Tanya be frustrated?

I had no one to ask for advice. Charlie would not have a clue, and neither would Angela. I guessed I just needed to trust my instincts.

I peeled the sticky tab off the envelope and began to read.

Hi Bella

I know that you were miserable the last few days with me but I just want to tell you that I miss you heaps. I'm not sure if you're angry with me, but if you are, please reply anyway.

I've been waiting for a reply from you, or even a phone call. All I need is a sign that you are fine.

Alice is pissed at me and I don't know why. It's not so good over here anymore.

Please reply

Love from your best friend,

Edward

I stared at the letter, and I absentmindedly grabbed a piece of paper from the kitchen drawer, my hand poised to write back.

I wondered if Edward knew what to do when your best friend, who has a girlfriend, writes to a girl from another state and expects a reply from her. It seemed kind of stupid but I wanted an answer to that.

I sighed and shook my head to clear the jumbled thoughts and began to write back.

Hi

It's Bella.

I'm not angry or anything. I'm fine here. I guess the summer just went by far too quickly.

I hope everything is fine between you and Alice.

Say hi to her for me, and to Em, and Jazz.

Love from your best friend,

Bella

I placed the piece of carefully folded paper into a clean envelope and closed my eyes.

The front door slammed open and I jumped.

"Just me," Charlie said gruffly. "How was school today?"

"Fine," I replied.

I saw his eyes move from my face, which gave everything away, to the envelope I held in my hand, and made the connection.

"Oh," he said in surprise, raising his eyebrows. "You want me to send it, right?"

I gave him the letter. "Thanks, Dad."

"Edward's a good boy, Bella," Dad said, observing my face carefully. "Give him a chance. I know he lives so far away but just…"

I stared at him in shock. I had never realized he noticed so much–I had tried hiding my feelings for Edward, but I had never managed to trick Charlie.

"Dad…please…," I said, my voice shaking, and I was afraid I would start crying. "Please don't."

As I ran I up the stairs, I heard him yell out to me.

"Bella! Just remember…just don't think that you live too far away from him that you actually can't even be friends."

His words hit deep inside my heart and I realized he was right. Maybe I was being too careful. I squeezed the stone Edward had given me tightly in my hands, wishing for a happier summer next year.

A massive thank you to all the readers who stuck by and the amazing betas over at PTB, especially SecretlySeverus and AnthroBug. Wish I could treat you all to a few rounds of tequila :)

What do you think of this story so far? Please leave a review - you know how much they mean to me :)

I'm going to go away for a holiday tomorrow and won't be back for not more than a week.

I'll see you again in less than two weeks!