In a quick fluid motion I released Bella. Leaving her warmth behind always made me feel cold inside, but I knew any moment Charlie would stick his head in to check on his daughter. I kissed her forehead lightly and bounded out of her window.

Flying through the trees, watching them go by at extraordinary speeds, I could already imagine what Alice had up her sleeve this morning. I was moving with such velocity that my feet were barely touched the ground. In a short moments time I was back at my house.

Alice greeted me at the steps, a routine that we seemed to have picked up. She was singing the birthday song in her head. I sighed and shook my head. “I told you that Bella doesn’t want to celebrate her birthday,” I glared at her. She didn’t buy it.

The last thing I wanted was to upset Bella, but if I didn’t give Alice some free reign she’d be disappointed. I know, I know, she thought but her smile was blinding as she showed me a vision of Bella’s infectious laughter at our house this evening. It was a relief to see her cheerfulness.

“Okay, but I warned you.” I cautioned. Her visions were always accurate. Example: Bella is still a human and not a vampire as Alice had once envisioned.

As I walked into the house to get ready for school she continued to sing, “Happy birthday to Bella, happy birthday to Bella…” aloud this time.

Alice will be Alice.

It was our senior year at Forks High School. Only Alice and I remained at school after Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie graduated in the summer. I had compromised with Bella about her driving to school, so I was no longer her chauffeur.

“It will give my Dad some peace of mind,” she told me. I caved eventually – reluctantly. Who knew what kind of damage could come of her if she were to wreck that thing.

But, I would give her anything that she asked…except for the one thing she wanted the most. The one thing I knew she’d be thinking this morning when she awoke to her alarm clock displaying her date of birth. Above all the worldly gifts I could give her, she wanted me to extinguish her flaming, bright gold, beautiful soul. I refused to take something so amazing out of this dreadful world. That didn’t stop her from arguing.