Bella is standing at school transfixed by an approaching Edward who's eyes never leave hers. He reaches her, washing away all her concerns -

EDWARD
"Happy birthday."

Bellas face falls at being reminded what today is.

BELLA
"Don't remind me."

EDWARD
"Your birth is definitely a day to celebrate."

BELLA
"Not for me."

Edward: "Eighteen is a little early to be worrying about your age."

BELLA
"It's one year older than you."

EDWARD
"Bella, I'm ninety."

BELLA
"True. Maybe I should be creeped out that I'm dating such an old guy."

EDWARD
"Yes, it's the age that's creepy, not the fact that you're dating a vampire." He says teasing me.

Then he completely distracts me from my birthday blues by kissing me tenderly, adoringly. God I love him.

I kiss him back... despite the necessary restraint we have to use its filled with passion, I can't wait till he won't have to be gentle with me, the sparks we'll create will burn down the world.

he pulls away disappointing me. But it makes me feel better seeing he was left wanting more to.

Suddenly Edward's face grow serious.

Edward: "someone wants you." He tells me, I turn around... omg is that Jacob?

Jacob: "Bella!"
He jogs up and nods to Edward.

BELLA
"God, Jacob, what are they feeding you? You're huge." He used to look kind of young for his age but now he's shot up and can almost pass for late teens early 20s.

JACOB
"Wouldn't seem so drastic if you came around more."

Bella: "Yeah sorry, it's been kind a crazy."

Jacob: "well, umm I wanted to come and say,happy birthday. Your dad told my dad. So..."

He pulls from his coat a small woven DREAMCATCHER, feathers dangling from it.

JACOB
"I saw it the other day and thought of you - it catches bad dreams."

BELLA
"This, I need. It's great."
Except if I want to break this curse I need to keep having those weird dreams of Grandma Swan.

EDWARD
"The bell's about to ring."

BELLA
"Bye, Jake, and thank you."

Walking to class I was cornered by Jasper and Alice and somehow agreed to attend a party they are throwing me. Grrr Jasper and his power.

I hate being... celebrated, being the center of attention.

Later that night at the Cullen's house Edward was being very affectionate and professing his love and devotion to me, and I was greedily soaking it all up.

kissing my face he tells me

Edward: "you protect me...
From boredom... And loneliness... You give me a reason to stay... un- dead. But it's... my job; to protect you... "

he stops mid sentence picking up on something me he lowly human cannot.

He smiles and continues,

... "from everyone but my sister."

the door bursts open and Alice dances in.

ALICE
"It's time it's time it's time!"

Alice tugs us to the top of the landing, then skips down the stairs to
THE LIVING ROOM -

Seeing what Alice has set up I suddenly miss Bellamy's glittery wrapping job. There are Hundreds of pink candles and rose-filled crystal bowls. ROSALIE, ESME, EMMETT, Carlisle, Jasper and Alice look up at me and I feel like a deer in headlights wishing I was anywhere else.

CARLISLE
"Sorry about all this. We tried to rein Alice in."

ESME
"Like that's even possible, Happy birthday, Bella."

Alice then temporarily blinds me with a flash of the camera

ALICE
"Found it in your bag. Mind?" She rhetorically asks

I notice a table piled with elaborately wrapped gifts, a huge cake and a tall stack of china plates.

BELLA
"Alice, I'm the only one who even eats cake. That thing could feed fifty."

ALICE
"Hope you're hungry. Here, this one's from Emmett."

The others crowd around... and I'm starting to feel claustrophobic

I open the gift to find an empty car-radio box.

BELLA
"Um... thanks?"

EMMETT
"Already installed it in your truck."

Bella:
"Thank you, Emmett."

ALICE
"Open mine."

I start to open it, but -

BELLA
"Ouch - paper cut."

single drop of deep red blood appears. Stupidly I didn't think much of it at first but then I HEAR a disturbing, grisly SNARL - i looks up just as -
JASPER lunges towards me!Teeth bared, eyes beyond reason -

- I was completely unprepared when Edward FLINGS Me behind his own body, causing me to CRASH into the table, plates shattering cutting me up 100x worse.

ALICE
"Jaz... shhh -" I hear Alice trying to soothe Jasper and calm down the situation but it seems my new wounds are testing her control as well.

All of them now, including Edward (but not Carlisle) are staring down at me...at my blood, it was the first time I truly felt I was in danger around these people I considered family.

Finally someone does something than just state hungrily at me, Carlisle jumps to my side. Edward, paler then normal snaps out of it and stands guard in front of us.

Carlisle takes me to another room and stitches me up.

On the way home I can sense something shift with in Edward.

Bella: "Say something."

EDWARD "What do you want me to say?"

BELLA "That I'm a klutz. That I should have been more careful - "

EDWARD "You got a paper cut. Normal people get paper cuts. And a normal boyfriend wouldn't have flung you into a stack of plates. A normal boyfriend wouldn't have had to fight the urge to kill you -"

Bella: "Stop. First of all I don't want normal, I want you. Second maybe it slipped your mind but you're normal girlfriend is actually a witch with suppressed powers. If my powers weren't bound I'd be able to protect myself. We have to find a way to... I don't know... awaken them."

We pull up to the house, Edward still hasn't responded so I try again to ease any misplaced guilt he is feeling.

BELLA "Edward You can't protect me from everything - something's going to separate us - accident, illness, old age... my sister. as long as I'm human...

EDWARD cuts me off too appalled to let me keep talking

"That's your solution? My ending your life?"

BELLA
"Your giving me forever." Why can't he understand that? I am not normal I was never meant to be normal if I'm going to be a freak i'd rather be the same freak as him.

He faces forward again, jaw tight, I can see his mind working, i reach for his hand

BELLA "Carlisle told me how you feel, about my soul, but I don't believe that - besides I already carry magic in me, I was obviously always meant for the supernatural life I just prefer one where I get to be by your side forever."

I think I finally reached him with that, he sends me a sad smile but it's more emotion then he has expressed in the last 20mins.

But then he tells me its late and I should go in, I ask for a good night kiss but I can he's still not letting himself off the hook for what happened.

I go into the house and it smells amazing, my sister and Emily have outdone themselves. Before I can announce myself my growling stomach does it for me.

Emily: "oh good you're here but when he was worried we have to save this for a very excessive midnight snack."

Bella: "no it's perfect I actually didn't get to eat earlier so I'm starving. Where is my sister."

Bellamy: "i'm right here I didn't expect you back so soon, but this is great would you mind if Emily joins us?"

Emily: "oh that's OK."

Bella: "no Bellamy's right please you did make it after all."

Bellamy: "hey I helped."

Emily: "hmmmm"

Bellamy: "what I did?"

Charlie: "do I hear my two Bells?"

Charlie walks in and we all start digging in.

I know I am only a year older but I swear today I feel like I've aged ten years.