Today is the thirteenth of September, it is Bella's eighteenth birthday and three days until Abel's, his being on the sixteenth. Abel watches as his uncle leaves Bella's room with a smug smile and he goes in. He tosses Bella his gift and she opens it. She finds a necklace with a charm of fanged teeth on it and Bella smiles.
"Abel..."
"I bought it in Africa while I was gone with Emmett, Evan, and Rosalie over the summer," Abel says. "I saw it and I thought of you since you want to die before you've lived and become one."
"You don't want to be a vampire?" Bella asks.
"No, I don't," Abel replies. "It's not natural. Humans are supposed to be born, grow old, and die."
"Does Emmett know this?" Bella asks.
"We talked about it over the summer, yeah," Abel replies. "I told Rosalie first. Rose and I have really bonded."
Bella puts the necklace on. "Is he sad you'll eventually die?"
"Yes, but it,l be in many, many, many years," Abel replies. "I love Emmett, Bells, but I want to live."
Bella smiles softly at her cousin.
"Happy birthday, Bells," Abel says softly and he leaves the room.
******
"Do you miss seeing Emmett at school?" Lauren asks her best friend when he joins her and Ben Chaney in front of the school.
"Yes, but I spent the entire summer with him, Rosalie, and Evan on an African safari," Abel says.
"Oh, my God, really?!" Ben exclaims excitedly. "How was it?"
"It was amazing!" Abel replies. "I fell in love with Emmett all over again."
"Awe, how cute," Lauren mewls. "It's too bad Tyler isn't into me like I am into him. We'd have been cute together."
"True," Abel agrees. "He's blind not to notice you, baby girl."
Lauren smiles at him. "Really?"
"Clearly," Ben replies before Abel can say something.
Meanwhile...
"Abel's friend Lauren knows," Edward says to the birthday girl once he pulls her away from Eric, Angela, Mike, and Jessica. "She suspected since we moved here but recently put things together and did an internet search. She just doesn't say anything."
"Lauren knows about you?" Bella gapes.
"And Emmett, Alice, Evan, Rosalie, and Jasper, and Carlisle, and Esme," Edward adds. "I don't think she'll ever tell. I don't think she really cares because Emmett makes Abel happy."
"Wow," Bella breathes. "Did not expect that."
Edward nods softly and they head inside.
********
"Bella won't be happy with this," Abel says to Alice while they decorate the Cullen house after school for Bella's birthday bash. "She never has been big on parties... and some dream set her off about aging up, even though she's only eighteen."
"She'll get over it," Alice chirps. "When is your birthday? You never told me. You told Emmett, Rosalie, and Evan."
"I said it in front of anyone who was hers at the time," Abel says. "I was born on three days after Bella on the sixteenth of September."
"I wasn't here when you told the others," Alice says. "I was hunting with Jazz."
"I know, I'm sorry," Abel says.
"It's okay," Alice replies. "I needed to hunt. Now, what do you want for your birthday?"
"For my father to die and go to hell to suffer the consequences of killing my mom," Abel replies honestly and Alice hums.
"Isn't that a thought?"
"Indeed," Abel responds and they focus on decorating while Edward talks to Bella upstairs.
