Hello loyal readers! I am so sorry for the huge break in-between posts. My life has been so crazy. I normally try and post longer chapters than this, but I felt that I needed to give you something. Hopefully after next week I'll be able to update regularly, that is, if you haven't given up on me yet. Thanks for reading, and please review!

I walked back to the house in a daze, my hand pressed to my cheek where Jake had kissed me goodnight. What were we supposed to do now? Date? Continue to be best friends? I didn't think we could just continue on the way we were before. I hoped he had a plan because I sure as hell didn't. And what was everyone keeping from me? Apparently, everyone was in on the secret but me. If Jake wouldn't tell me, maybe my parents would. Or in any case, maybe my mom would. She seemed in favor of the idea.

I reached the cottage and let myself in quietly. I turned around and wasn't surprised to see my parents waiting for me.

"Did you tell Jake goodnight?" my mom asked.

I rolled my eyes. "No, I walked him out and left without saying anything. Of course I told him goodnight." Was it normal for parents to be this irritating?

"He just kissed her on the cheek," my dad said. That must have been what my mom was looking for.

God Dad, stay out of my head. I thought with irritation. He just frowned at me instead of responding.

I clenched my teeth in irritation. "Whatever. I'm going to bed."

As I turned to leave, my dad's voice stopped me. "Renesmee Carlie, you were raised to be more polite than that." I took a deep breath to refrain from unleashing a tirade about how I was raised to tell the truth and be honest with others, but apparently that didn't apply to keeping secrets from me. Well, my dad heard the tirade in my head, but I just turned around and sighed.

"I'm sorry." I said. I walked over to my mom and gave her a kiss goodnight. "Goodnight. I'm glad we celebrated our birthdays together." She just hugged me and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight Nessie."

I walked over to my dad and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Goodnight Dad. Thank you for a wonderful night and an awesome first car. I love it." Even if Mom thinks it's completely ridiculous, I thought.

I felt him smile into my hair as he kissed the top of my head. "Goodnight," he whispered.

"Love you," I said as I walked into my room and closed the door. Even after all of the hugs and kisses, I was still irritated with them both. I yawned. I would have to confront the issue of whatever they were keeping from me tomorrow because right now, I was exhausted.

…

My mom woke me up way too early. "Nessie, I know you would love to sleep until noon today, but they need to get to the airport." I rolled over and groaned. I had completely forgotten in all the excitement of the party that Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper were leaving early this morning for Brazil.

I stumbled out of bed and to the bathroom where I threw my hair into a sloppy ponytail and brushed my teeth. I washed my face hoping to wake myself up a little more but to no avail.

My mom looked at my choice of wardrobe- a pair of athletic shorts that I smuggled home on a shopping trip once and an old "Forks High" t-shirt of my mom's with raised eyebrows when I staggered sleepily out of my room and into the hallway. "Alice is going to have your head for that outfit."

"Some of us prefer sleep over style," I said through a yawn.

"Ready?" my dad asked as he shut the door to my parents' room.

"I guess," I said through another yawn as we walked outside. I stopped just outside the door. "Are you kidding me? It's not even light out!" The warm light of dawn was just barely starting to peek through the trees. No wonder I was so exhausted. I had only gotten a couple hours of sleep. My parents just chuckled and kept walking.

We got to the main house where everyone was waiting for us. Esme hugged me first. "I'm going to miss you so much. There are a couple of meals in the fridge for you to heat up while we're gone." She placed a palm on my cheek and moved onto my parents.

"Esme, we can cook too you know," my mom said with a laugh. Esme just shook her head with a smile and hugged them both before walking to the car where she waited for Carlisle.

"Be good," he said to me as he kissed the top of my head.

"As if I'm ever not," I said as Emmett snorted.

He smiled. "Call me if there are any drastic changes with your body while I'm gone. Well, call anyway, just to say hi," he said as he smiled.

I smiled back. "Will do. Love you."

Jasper and Alice were next. "Did you even look in the mirror this morning?" she asked incredulously. "Where did you even get those shorts? Actually, don't answer that. Rest assured that I am coming back from Brazil with an entire new wardrobe for you!" She laughed as I rolled my eyes and gave me a hug. "Love you! Try and dress yourself appropriately while we're gone."

Jasper gave me a hug as I was rolling my eyes and whispered in my ear conspiratorially. "Give Em hell while I'm gone."

"Ha!" I laughed good naturedly. "No worries there." With that, Jasper and Alice climbed in the back seat of the car and waved goodbye as Carlisle drove out of sight.

When they were gone, I turned back to my parents. "Can I go back to bed now?" I asked through a yawn.

"How about I make you breakfast instead?" my dad said. I frowned contemplatively. I was exhausted, but I was also hungry. "French toast," my dad said trying to convince me not to go back to bed.

I sighed and rolled my eyes as I went to go sit at the island in the kitchen. He knew my weakness for a good batch of French toast.

Before I could doze off at the counter, my mom slid a glass of orange juice to me. "Drink," she commanded.

I took a sip and set the glass aside. I laid my head down on the counter as I said "wake me up when it's ready."

Just as I was about to succumb to the blissful darkness of sleep, I heard heavy footsteps walk into the kitchen. "Did they leave for Brazil all ready?" I groaned internally. Alice was right. I should always put effort into my wardrobe. And my makeup. And my hair. Oh God. My hair. Maybe if I didn't move he would leave and wouldn't see how awful I looked.

"You just missed them," my dad said from the stove. "French toast?"

"Like you had to ask," Jake said with a laugh. "What's wrong with her?"

"She didn't get to sleep in this morning. Be careful Jake; she gets grumpy when she's tired."

Jake tried to pull my arms away from where they were hiding my face. When that didn't work he jabbed me in the sides to make me jump. I still refused to open my eyes. "I bet I know how to wake you up," he whispered mischievously in my ear, his breath warm on my neck.

I smiled at the thought of Jake's lips on my neck as my dad barked "don't even think about it!"

"All right. I'm up; I'm up," I said as I sat up straight. "I fall asleep for five minutes and you both are ready to kill each other." Jake just smirked as he sat on the stool next to me, reaching for my glass of orange juice. "Not going to happen," I said as I pulled my juice away from his bronzed fingers. "You know where the fridge is; go get your own."

He rolled his eyes as he walked to the fridge and poured himself a glass. "Both of you sit down and eat," my mom said.

…

After Jake and I finished our breakfast and did the dishes, I turned back around to face my parents who hadn't left the room. Keeping an eye on us, I guessed. "So what's on the agenda for today? Please tell me I don't have to do lessons. It's a Sunday," I begged.

"No, your lessons can wait until tomorrow," my dad said. "Actually, I thought I could teach you how to drive this morning."

"Teach me how to drive? But, I already know how…" I trailed off as my dad looked at me skeptically.

"When did you ever learn how to drive?" my mom asked.

"Well…I've never actually driven, but it can't be that hard. I figured that, well…"

"What?" Jake snorted. "You figured with you super-human smarts and reflexes that you could just hop in you Corvette and go? Please. You have to learn my doing. Some things can't be learned by reading about them, or even by playing video games with Emmett."

I huffed. "Fine. I'll go get my keys."

My dad moved to stand in front of the doorway. "Why don't we take my Volvo out for the first go? We wouldn't want to wrap your brand new car around a tree, would we?"

I sighed. "So little faith you have in me, Father," I said sarcastically as I turned the other direction and walked into the garage.

My dad followed, chuckling, as my mom yelled "wear a seatbelt!" I rolled my eyes and waved from the driver's seat of the Volvo. "And Edward," she said from the doorway, glaring at my dad, "make sure she stays under the speed limit!"