"Happy Birthday!" Ellie DuPree said, thrusting a poorly wrapped present into Bella Swan's hands.
Ellie knew how much it was torturing Bella to hear the words, but she couldn't help herself. Birthdays were meant to be celebrated, and Ellie was going to make sure that Bella celebrated hers to the fullest extent. After all, it could be her last. Living in the supernatural world was dangerous. One never knew when it would be their last.
"Ellie," Bella sighed, exasperated at her blonde friend's antics. "I told you no presents."
"I don't care what you told me," she grinned, her eyes crinkling at the sides. "It's your birthday whether you like it or not. You should just accept it and make the most of it. You only get so many."
"Yes, well, hopefully it will be my last," the brunette said, moving to walk forward, but being stopped by their friends who, unlike Ellie, carefully avoided the topic of her birthday, choosing to talk about the Romeo and Juliet assignment that was due instead.
Ellie was laughing at one of Mike's lame pickup lines when she felt two arms wrap around her waist from behind and cold lips place a kiss behind her ear. Turning her head, she placed a kiss on Jasper's lips, a smile forming on her face as they pulled away.
"Hello, Handsome," she said, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Hello to you," he smirked. He loved how much she had opened up to him since February. He would do absolutely anything for her. "You disappeared on me this morning."
"You know me," she grinned, flipping herself around and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I had to make sure Bella got her fair amount of birthday torture from me before Alice scared her away with the you-know-what."
"You helped plan that," he pointed out.
"Of course I did," she said, stepping away from him only to grab his hand and direct him toward the building Bella and Edward were now standing in front of. "No one loves a good party as much as me."
Alice was jumping over the walkway railing to greet Bella and her brother when Ellie and Jasper reached them. "Happy Birthday, Bella! Would you like your present now or later?"
She gracefully handed the brunette a nicely wrapped box which Bella promptly shoved back into her dainty hands.
"I said no presents," she frowned. Why couldn't they just listen to her? She obviously did not want any presents. She didn't even want this birthday. She just wanted to be like themâwith the exception of Ellie â immortal and free to spend all of eternity with Edward.
"Later, then," Alice said, gently gripping the present. "I'll have it ready for you after schoolâ before you come over to celebrate."
"We are not celebrating this birthday that I clearly do not want," Bella said, clenching her fists. "No parties."
"Oh come on, Bella," Ellie said, rolling her eyes at her friend.
"Don't be a spoilsport," Alice added, seeing where the emissary was going. "It's just one teensy, little party. We don't get to do this often."
"You got to do this for Ellie in June," she said, pursing her lips. "That should be enough."
"Don't take the fun away from me," Alice said, jutting out her bottom lip.
Ellie saw the brunette girl's face contorting in thought before the words of consent slipped from her lips, "Alright. Just this once because this is going to be the last. One year older is enough."
Alice squealed before throwing her arms around the girl in a gentle hug, "Thank you! You're going to love it."
She then flitted away leaving the two couples behind.
Ellie looked at Jasper, her eyes catching his immediately, before nodding her head toward the school. A smile gracing her lips, she waved goodbye to Bella and Edward and moved toward the building, Jasper following behind her. The duo had only made it a couple of feet before they heard Bella call, "No fair, Jasper!"
Ellie let loose a small chuckle as Jasper said, "Sorry."
Bella sighed, "Messing with my emotions should be off limits."
"I'll make note of that," he said, his eyes glancing toward Ellie for a moment before shifting back to Bella. "Happyâ Never mind."
"Thank you," she said, ready to move on and forget that it was her birthday.
Ellie slipped her hand into Jasper's, lacing their fingers together, before the duo walked on toward Ellie's locker. She had been lucky enough to not have homework in her first period class the night before. So her books were still located within the confines of her locker. Reaching the top locker in Building 3, she twisted in her combination and pulled the door open. She had recently taken the time to organize the typically overcrowded lockerâwhich had taken much too long in her opinionâ and she wanted to ensure that it never ended up in the state that it had been in again. Moving carefully, she removed the calculus book from its place and slammed the locker shut.
"You know, if you slam it after all of the hard work you put in to not messing it up, you are more likely to destroy it," Jasper said, a small smirk formed on his lips.
Ellie shrugged her shoulders, deciding to forgo any argumentsâplay or not, and pulled him close to her, Their noses were touching at the close proximity they found themselves in, and Ellie found herself breathing in a scent that she could only describe as Jasper. He was all musk and man, and she loved him even more for just being in her life. She pressed a kiss to his cold lips and relished in the way that he could take her breath.
His kiss always reminded her that she had something to fight for, someone to tie herself to if she ever found herself lost. He always seemed to keep her grounded and bring her back when she needed it most, and she liked to think that she did the same for him. Pulling apart, she watched the lights dance in his eyes as she caught her breath.
"I miss being able to do this every morning," he said, tracing her lower lip with his thumb.
"Jasper, I live with you," she snorted, shaking her head at his words. "We get to do this more than just every morning."
"Yes, but not here," he said, a smile making its way onto his lips.
A sigh escaped as she rolled her eyes, "That's what happens when one graduates."
"And that is why I followed you this morning," he said, placing a kiss on her jaw. "I couldn't stand to be without you any longer."
Ellie smiled, bringing her bottom lip into her teeth. He was cheesy, but he was hers, and she wouldn't allow herself to give him up for anyone. She could feel her heart beating a mile a minute and knew that he could hear it, but she wouldn't trade him for anyoneânot even another chance at normalcy with Ethan. She loved him, and it was about high time that he actually heard her say it.
Lifting her eyes to meet his, she said, "Jazz?"
If he had a heartbeat, Jasper was sure that it would be racing as fast as Ellie's was at the moment. He could only imagine what she had to say to him, but if it was anything close to what he thought it might be, he was about to consider himself the luckiest man in the world. A gentle smile rested on his lips as he said, "Yes, Ellie?"
"Iâ" she started, but the shrill ringing of her cellphone cut off her words. A scowl drawing her face taut, she pulled the object out of her pocket and glanced curiously at the name on the screen. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she answered the phone, "Hello?"
"Ellie?" a frantic voice questioned from the other line.
"Mr. O'Connell?" Ellie's eyebrows rose. The caller ID had not been wrong. Evie's father had, indeed, called her. "Is everything okay?"
"No, Ellie," he said, his voice shaking from the terrors he was witnessing inside of his very own home. "Nothing is fine at all. We've ran into a small problem, my dear."
"Oh no," Ellie said, thinking of all of the possible things that could have happened to her twin. "What can I do?"
"She's screaming, quite loudly if I may say," he said, casting his eyes to the room his daughter and wife were located in. "And, well, she's currently engulfed in flames. We can't touch her, but she's not burning her bedding. I don't know what is happening to her, but, um, Fiera figured that you might."
'Of course this is happening,' Ellie thought bitterly. Her sister had not received her marking just yet, and Ellie had hoped beyond measure that she had been lucky, and it had skipped her, but apparently, fate had other plans. Her sister was receiving her mark and talent, and though her adoptive parents knew of the horrors of the supernatural world, they would not know how to help her control these new abilities. She was going to have to do it herself and help her find her new home while she's at it. "I'll be there shortly. Just...don't panic."
"Thank you, Ellie," he said, a sigh of relief releasing upon her words. He knew they could trust her. "We're upstairs."
"Anytime, Mr. O'Connell,"Â she said, ending the call. Her hand found the bridge of her nose as she let out a heavy breath. Life just couldn't be easy for her. Something bad always had to happen.
"You're leaving?" Jasper asked, his face hardening.
"I have to help her," she said, lifting her eyes to meet his. "Her parents have no clue what she's about to go through. I'm the only one they could think of that might be able to help them."
He understood her need to help her sister. He would never try to stop her anyway. He loved her too much to ever hold her back. Leaning forward, he placed a kiss on her forehead, "I understand. Do what you need to do. Just come home to me in one piece, please."
"I can do that," she said, a small smile lifting her lips. "I'll miss you."
"I'll be right here waiting for you," he said, pulling her in for one last kiss.
The unspoken words between them were many, but they would have to wait until later. For now, Ellie knew exactly what she needed to doâhelp her sister.