A/N: Okay, this is my first fan fic, and, wow, I am soooooooooo bad at using this site! I keep deleting my files (don't ask) and crashing my computer. So, please, hang in there, and I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as possible. (Unless it kills me first.)
Nessie took a deep breath, and tried her best to assume a suitably blank expression. She flicked her long bronze ringlets behind her shoulders and straightened her skirt before pushing open the door. Flicking on the light, she gasped in surprise - or her best approximation. "Ohmygod!" She shrieked, beaming at the crowds of people (or close enough to people, in some cases), who were all cheering wildly, most grinning with a huge 'Happy '6th' Birthday Nessie!' banner practically glowing down on her. "You all planned a surprise party - for me? You guys!" She tried hard to make herself sound appropriately shocked, and everybody seemed to believe it as they all surged forward to hug her. Soon Nessie was surrounded by masses of people all trying to wish her a happy birthday at once. She smiled happily. This was why she loved her life.
***
Later on, Nessie was looking for her mum. She had barely seen her at the beginning of the 'surprise' party, and Nessie had spent the last half hour mingling with various guests. She actually hadn't spoken to any of her immediate family yet … something she was planning to rectify very soon.
"Nessie!" She spun around just in time to catch a brief glimpse of her mum before she was hugging her.
"Hiya!" Nessie smiled, before Bella let her daughter go, and grinned at her.
"Nessie, were you honestly surprised?" Nessie bit her lip as her mum cut straight to the point. "I thought not… well, I suppose it's for the better! I personally find surprise parties horrifying." Bella grimaced.
"Yes, but not all people are as anti social as you are, Bella!" Alice bubbled merrily from behind her goddaughter.
"Alice!" Nessie enveloped her favourite aunt in a hug. She had been taller than Alice for about two years now, and now stood nearly as tall as her father. Her long hair fell for the length of her back, and was one of her favourite things about her personal appearance. Many people, her family included, were forever telling Nessie that she was beautiful, but she simply didn't believe them. Whilst she had to concede that she wasn't ugly, she lacked the simple aura of pure beauty that the rest of her family exuded. That vampires exuded. No, Nessie looked human. Gorgeous, maybe, but human nonetheless. And her growth was decreasing at an incredibly fast rate - Carlisle had predicted that it would stop altogether in a matter of months, leaving Nessie with the appearance of a twenty year old. Which she was happy with.
"So, do the two of you like my decorations?" Alice trilled. Nessie and Bella both looked around at the mass of brightly coloured lights that adorned the room; at the glittering baubles hanging from the ceiling; at the leather sofas and at the (for some odd reason) tinsel. Nessie smiled inwardly at the expression on her mums face.
"I love them, Alice." Nessie spoke truthfully - it was just how she'd want a party if she planned one herself. Alice squealed in delight, and danced off in celebration, with Bella following her after a shrug and a roll of her eyes.
Nessie laughed to herself, and was just about to go off and join them when she spotted her dad coming towards her. "Daddy!" She high fived him - she always found it amusing to watch his spilt second hesitation as he figured out what she meant.
"Hey, Nessie, enjoying yourself? Or have you inherited your mothers hatred of parties, birthdays and general merriment?" Edward joked. Nessie chuckled.
"No, Dad, I'm loving it. Who planned it - apart from Alice?"
"Esme, mainly, but Jacob insisted on taking over in places…" Edward's face took on the slightly annoyed expression that he assumed whenever Jacob was mentioned.
"Oh, right." Nessie wasn't sure of what to say. Jacob was a source of constant awkwardness for Nessie. She wasn't sure how she felt about him at the moment. One moment, he was her brother; her best friend; the first person she went to when she was feeling down. But recently…. Recently he'd started wanting more. She should've seen it coming - they'd been practically engaged for most of Nessie's life. But she just hadn't thought about it. And now she was stuck. "Um, so, where is Jake? I haven't seen him tonight…"
"He's gone to pick up some latecomers who just didn't want to miss the party. Guess who!" Edward seemed quite happy at whoever it was.
"Um…." Nessie never saw the point in guessing in these situations.
"Seth and Leah Clearwater!" He smiled.
"Really? Wow…" Nessie was actually surprised, for the first time this night. She hadn't seen Leah in a few weeks, as she had a new job, but that wasn't the point. Seth had been away at university for about three years now, and rarely visited home. The last time Nessie saw him, she must have been about ten years old. Wow.
"Look, I've got to go and refill the buffet before our werewolf friends actually eat the table itself - but I'll see you later, Nessie!" Edward glided off, leaving Nessie on her own for the second time that night.
She dived back into the crowd, hugging and thanking friends for coming. It was just as she was about to go and greet Sam and Emily Uley and their two year old son that Jacob burst into the room. Nessie groaned inwardly, took a deep breath, and turned around slowly before fixing a delighted expression on her face.
"Ness!" Jake ran to hug her, lifting her off her feet and twirling her round. Hugely embarrassed, Nessie gently pushed herself away from Jacob, and turned her attention to the two people that had followed him in. Leah stood with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised, a distinct sneer fixed on her face. Nessie sighed inwardly. Leah despised her, always had, and Nessie had yet to work out why. But anyway. It was then that Nessie looked away from the scowling woman in front in front of her, and turned her gaze to Seth Clearwater.
Nessie's jaw dropped open ever so slightly as she stared at Seth. He was, without a doubt, the most gorgeous guy she had ever laid eyes on. His chiselled face was angelic, almost, as if it belonged to the most perfect creature ever to walk the earth. His deep, russet coloured skin showed off his untidy jet black hair, and his dark eyes that seemed to be able to see Nessie's soul. Nessie's eyes involuntarily flicked to his body. His thin T-shirt clung to his defined muscles, showing him off. Nessie took a sharp intake of breath. In that second, she realised that she was feeling everything she couldn't feel for Jacob. This guy was perfect, beautiful, with a body to match. He was…
"God, stop staring will you?" Leah snapped, "We're not running a freak show here. Although, I can see where you could get confused." Nessie snapped out of her daydream in shock. Leah would rip Nessie limb from limb if she thought that she liked her little brother. Only, Leah wasn't looking at Nessie. Her eyes fell on Seth, who was gazing at Nessie with a mixed expression of shock, awe and something Nessie couldn't read.
"Oh - I, er…" Seth stumbled over his words, still mesmerised. Nessie flicked a glance to Jacob, who's face had become stony as he took in Seth's expression. Nessie realised that it was up to her to save both the situation and, very probably, Seth's place in the pack.
"Hi, Seth!" She cut in smoothly, beaming happily, "It's been ages! How old was I when you saw me last?" Seth started again, and quickly understood that she was trying to help him.
"Wow, um, you must have been, like, ten?" He answered quickly, resuming a casual expression and stance.
"Long time no see!" Jacob nodded, partly taken in by their façade. Leah rolled her eyes moodily.
"God, lets just cut the small talk." She half growled. Just then a slower, prettier song came on. Her expression changed, and she spun to Jacob. "Hey, Jake - wanna dance?" Both Nessie and Seth blinked. That wasn't a very 'Leah' thing to do. Jacob hesitated, his eyes flicking to Nessie.
"I'm not sure…"
"Look, Nessie can dance with Seth, okay?" Leah grabbed Jacobs hand and strode onto the dance floor.
Leaving Nessie with Seth.