New Moon- Partial Draft (Edward POV)

[Dean Ficco]

Typical. I could hear Alice's thoughts beaming from the other room and I groaned. "You know this won't go well." Bella didn't want a party. She had been very insistent on us not acknowledging her birthday at all. Of course, all of us would have to compromise. All but Alice it seemed.  

"She'll love it." This wasn't exactly true either. Alice knew Bella would only halfheartedly enjoy the gathering, despite how much she always appreciated everything done for her. Alice had seen this in her own visions. I rolled my eyes to myself, this not being seen by Alice, physically or otherwise. Alice was what I would conciser stubborn. Nothing anyone did or said would change her mind once it had been made up. Of course this didn't fully extend. If the matter were serious, you could always count on Alice to do the right thing. 

"Besides, she isn't going to have many more real birthdays. She should enjoy them while shes still human." Alice didn't seem to care that this kind of talk bothered me. I gritted my teeth, forcing the growl back into my chest."You're wrong." My voice, though low, was still thick with harsh intent. Insistent. Alice wouldn't get to decide this. I could see her mentally roller her eyes as I tried, once again, to change the future she saw. She didn't say anything this time, out loud anyway and anything she had to say mentally she tried to stifle. She didn't take as much pleasure in agitating me as some of the others did. 

"Let's go. Were going to be late." The agitation in Rosalie's voice was twice as potent as that in my own. Just the mention of Bella was enough to dampen her mood, not that it was ever that light to begin with. I tried my best to ignore this, knowing that it had little to do with Bella and far more to do with the circumstances. 

The drive to school was...average. Emmett and Rosalie goggling over each other in  the back seat, Alice going over her party plans to Jasper who patiently listened, and I drove. I tried to block all of them out, my eyes on the road, both hands gripping the steering wheel. This was a normal morning for us. 

By 'late' Rosalie had only meant we would not be early, overexerting for the sake of theatrics. The parking lot was still only half full when we arrived. the back end of the lot completely empty, the exception being three scattered cars who's owners seemed to believe parking this far would beat the dismissal traffic.

It only took a few moments for the loud roar of the ancient truck to come into earshot, one and a half, perhaps, two miles down the road. I stood, my hands in my pockets as I waited. It would take her a little over average, about 5 minuets, to reach the lot. I had wished she would just allow me to purchase her a new vehicle, half due to my inpatients and the other half for her safety. 

The roar grew louder, naturally, this would turn heads but by now most of the students had been accustomed to her presence and that of the loud vehicle. It was now ignored by all but me. She parked, and I slowly made my way across the lot, allowing her a moment to situate herself. 

"Happy Birthday."