Early Morning: A Cullen Story Chp. 11 pt. 1

It was the day of my party. I was trying to get over the fact that Seth wouldn't be here; It was hard for me and Renesmee. But she was taking it better than me. I had suspicions that she knew something I didn't. Tanzee was the first to tell me happy birthday, because she practically woke me up in the middle of the night screaming in my ear and smothering me with hugs. During breakfast, after receiving some dissatisfied looks from Bella, Edward and Rose I was totally done for the day. I knew it. I just knew it. Renesmee snitched. She told on us. I was so going to kill Tanzee after this betrayal. As, Tanzee and I helped out with the table decorations with Alice I finally broke the awkward silence.

"Nessie told didn't she?"

Alice glanced at the house then me.

"She was curious---"

I groaned in frustration. I took the roses out of Tanzee's hand.

"I'm so going to kill you," I remarked as I put the rose in the clear vase.

Tanzee rolled her eyes. "Sorry. You guys wanted to know."

I looked at Alice now, as she fixed a spoon to match up with the salad fork.

"What did she say?"

Alice sighed, as she looked at me then Tanzee.

"Everything."

Tanzee sat down in the chair quickly as she covered her eyes with one hand, moaning in humiliation. I used Alice's hard body as support. I wanted to scream! This was in fact the worst day of my life. Alice and I both sat down at the table. I traced my finger along the intricate patterns of the pale pink table cloth. How could I let this happened? Especially to me. Rose and Bella I wasn't scared of but Edward…I don't know. He just seems like the father you didn't want to mess with; Especially, since he became Renesmee's guardian.

"Does Mom and Dad know?" I asked.

Alice hesitated and then I knew it was bad.

"Damn it." I whispered.

Alice made a sound of disgust. "Don't curse, it's not lady like."

"Yeah, well, talk to Nessie. Cause obviously as being a lady secrecy is something she lacks."

Tanzee smacked her hand lightly on my shoulder.

"That wasn't nice. Don't blame her; I'm the one who shouldn't have told her…"

I sighed. Alice tone was rude towards Tanzee.

"Yes, you should keep your adventures to yourself."

"Stop it, Alice! It's not her fault. I should have never let you say anything in front of Nessie. Damn it."

"Language." Alice warned. I rolled my eyes and hit my head against the table. I could feel cool fingers on my back and Tanzee's warm pats on my head. Where is Seth? I need him so bad.

When it was time for my party, I had dressed in a long sleeve satin turquoises dress that came to my knees with Chiffon sleeves. Alice made it for me. Tanzee kept it simple with a thin turtle black neck sweater and jeans with cute Italian boots with her families crest at the top. Renesmee, being Renesmee wore a colorful sun dress with a thick wool white sweater over her shoulders. She ran into my room, excitedly.

"Are you guys ready to rock?!" she said, enthusiastically.

Tanzee smiled, widely, as she took one of the drum stick stimulator throwing it in the air like a baton and catching it gracefully.

"I'm Italian…any more questions?"

I laughed as I took apart my keyboard.

"That means, yes, Nessie."

We each took a piece of my keyboard (Tanzee had my stand, Renesmee had my microphone and it's little stand to hold it and I grabbed my keyboard) as we headed down the stairs. I saw Edward at the end of second level stairs and I gulped hard. If the windows were opened, I would break out into a cold, nervous sweat. Renesmee's face lit up like a Christmas tree. Tanzee seemed calm.

"Hey, Edward!" Nessie called, as she ran and hugged him.

He smiled, hugging her back and kissed her head. Tanzee went ahead of me and walked around them. She disappeared into the living room. I tried to make my escape; I held my head low as I held my keyboard to my side, pretending not to notice them trying to slip by unnoticed.

Before I could reach living room threshold, I felt Edward's cold hand on my shoulder. I mentally cursed to myself as I jerked upward. I looked up at him feeling the pull of his body to mine. His face was calm and expressionless but I could see the tension and irritation in his eyes. I wanted to look away; I needed to. So, when the thumping caught my eye I couldn't be more relieved.

It was the same clear pulse, I'd seen yesterday. It thudded toward me growing bigger and bigger. I stared at it as I watched it reach out for me. I wanted to cringe away, but I couldn't I was too interested. The scientist in me was too involved; Too eager to learn more. It was the same clear pulse that emanated from Kate yesterday. And Bella. And Alice. Also, Nessie and Edward too. I was about to run up to my room and jolt down some theories when…

"Sherese, can I talk to you for a moment?" Edward said, breaking me from my daze. I slowly brought my eyes to his and frown nervously. I nodded once and he turned back to Renesmee who was watching me with a empathetic expression. Like maybe, just, maybe she shouldn't have told them about last night…gee, I would wonder why!

"Renesmee, Sherese and I must talk but she'll see you in a bit." I cringed when he said, 'talk'. I looked at his face again and saw the clear pulse touching my chest. I gasped and both, Edward and Renesmee looked my way. I didn't know what their expressions were but I could feel it boring it into me. I saw the clear pulse thudding more distinct now; Matching the flowing of my own heartbeat. I reached one of my hands up and touched it. It felt like moist air. I pulled my hand away looking at it. I could hear voices all around me. Were the other's starting the party with out me?

"What's wrong?" Nessie asked.

I looked at her. I didn't know what my face held but she didn't seem to believe my dismal. I tried to compose my face but I didn't know if I had. Was I really, going insane? Am I insane? I couldn't be. Due to what? I'm not into hard drugs. I don't drink. I don't think there's any psychological problems I could have inherited from my birth mother. I looked over her file and saw that she was allergic to Ibuprofen and had broken her arm in her second month of pregnancy. Other than that…she didn't exist to me. Marie Alexia Harold. My mother. Did she really didn't want me? Or was she trying to save me? Did she see what I saw? I was distracted by a rubbing in my head. I frowned, involuntarily. What is that?

"Um, nothing." I said, quickly.

Nessie frowned. She seemed unconvinced.

"Are you sure? You look…funny?" Nessie said. I thought for a moment, calculating. The clear pulse was still thudding as it filled me. I could taste his scent on it. Vanilla.

Really? Is my face showing too much?

Really? Is my face showing too much?

Huh?

Huh?

The echoing had came back. Echoes? Edward released his arm from my shoulder, his expression was speculative and I stepped back. The clear pulse reached out for me again but my thoughts didn't echo at least. The fog had came back; Quickly blanketing my head. I frowned in frustration. I shot a glance at Edward and he was frustrated and confused too. He focused on my face and I his. What he thinking what I was thinking? Did he know something was changing in me? Making me different from the rest? Was I freak? Am I imagining this?

"Girls? Are you ready yet?" I heard Bella say behind me.

I hadn't heard her behind me…but when did I hear anyone's in this house. I turned around and saw Bella and Mom. There was the clear pulse radiating off of Bella now. I glanced at Edward, quickly and saw his thudding stretching for me. I turned around to look at Bella's anxious and confused face. I stared down at her chest and saw the clear pulse touching me. I can't be imagining this…

"Is there something wrong, Sherese?" Edward asked.

I looked at him and then gave him a thoughtful look.

"No…I don't believe so." I whispered, so low; I thought I had mouthed it inside of saying it out loud. But somehow he heard it. The fog wasn't as nauseating as it usually was. I think my body was becoming immune to it. I stepped away from Bella, as raised my hand to pretend I was scratching my head; My fingers touching Edward's pulse and I thought, 'Hello?' ; And it echoed, back 'Hello?' . I moved around the clear pulses. I stood by my Mom. I saw the pulses touch each other but Bella's was reflecting Edward's away. They gravitate back to me. I could feel the abrasion back in my head and remember the taste of it from the other times, I'd encounter it. The same sweet, Vanilla smell. The only person, I'd known to smell like Vanilla…was Edward. Edward?

Edward can you hear me?

He snapped his head up, swiftly as if I spoke out loud. He turned his head around, before the shock could set in. You can…can't you? YOU CAN HEAR MY THOUGHTS! I didn't miss him flinch. My thoughts must have been too loud for him. Oops. I added a second later. I was about to call him out on it, when Renesmee broke my reverie. There was a clear pulse emanating from her now too. It was so light and not as strong I didn't notice it before. When it touched my arm, my eyes unfocused and I saw a clear image of my face. It was dubious and calculating. I chuckled once. Oh, wow…cool.

"Sherese? What's wrong? Can you hear me?" Renesmee said.

Mom placed a hand on my shoulder. My eyes refocused; I saw Renesmee's face now and it was concerned. I raised an eyebrow at her and then looked over and saw a picture of Jacob and Nessie together on the computer desk. Jacob? I remembered all the times when Renesmee touched the other's: The unfocused of eyes belonging to the people she touched and then the refocusing of them after. She could project her images to others. That's why she never touched me…I wasn't aware. Is this what they were hiding from me---?

"Sherese? Sherese…?"

I looked at them. Mom pulled me to her and Bella's clear pulse wrapped itself around me. The fog came over me and I felt the kneading being reflected against me brain. What happened? I could see Edward's clear pulse wrapping it around Bella's that had caressed me so.

Ha! That's it! Bella is a shield! Or like one! She can do a lot more I could taste it. I don't think she was aware of it. It wasn't in the same way as accessible to me like the other's. I laughed out loud to myself, joyfully then humiliated I bit my lip. I looked at Edward and he was focused on my face. I can't be losing my mind. This was so unreal…but it was happening.

"Sherese…?" Edward said, now, trying to act like nothing just happened. I glazed at him knowingly. I tried to erase my face of any expression and answered him, a little too hopefully. "Yeah?"

"That talk---"He started before I cut him off.

"Will have to wait, Edward. It's my birthday." I said, impatiently. I had no time in discussing, poor Renesmee being tainted by me and Tanzee's words. I didn’t care anymore. She was adult too! Turning Eighteen in November. I'm surprised she and Jacob hadn't--they sure acted like it. I held my keyboard to me and walked away from them. I heard Bella say, 'What was that about?' and I wondered if he'd tell her the truth. I could feel the kneading again slowly, as I left Bella's pulse behind me and I tried to think of a brick wall with Edward outside it and my laughter seeping from it. But it didn't last for long, I soon became distracted by my cake and I went over to get a dollop of frosting with my finger when Edward called from the other room.

"Not a good idea, Sherese."

I rolled my eyes and gave a nervous bark of a laugh.

"Really? You, of course, would know." I knew they could hear me. Especially, him. I echoed it in my thoughts for him. I tried to think about my cake other than of his mind reading. I didn't know if my family knew or not. I wasn't going to say anything. If he didn't. I didn't know how much he had read into my thoughts and I didn't want him to read more.

I thought about the way the frosting was going to taste on my tongue. It's sweet, sugary tenor. The jittery feeling it gave me.

The way, the filling in the middle felt on my lips when I licked it off. The shrill joy it gave me. As, I thought of my cake, I looked for Bella's fog. It seemed to reflect Edward's advances. I searched for the source in the air. I came across Bella's strawberry scent and found the fog. I didn't know what to do so I just tried to block out all the other pulls I felt when I walked out into the backyard. It was easy. I didn't have to strain myself. Bella shrouded my mind as I felt Edward's attacks defenseless. I laughed to myself and Tanya and Kate stared at me in amusement.

"Happy Birthday, Sherese," They said, in unison.

I smiled, happily.

"Thank you."

Yes, Happy Birthday to me.