"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

The soft singing filling the room woke me from a dreamless sleep, the smell of pumpkin and chocolate reaching my nose. My eyes fluttered open to Mom and Chloe standing next to my bed, Mom holding a tray of pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes with a candle stuck in the middle and Chloe holding a vase of pink carnations attached to a balloon. Both grinned as I sat up, returning an embarrassed smile back.

"Happy birthday, dear Autumn... happy birthday to you!"

Mom held the tray out in front of me, gesturing toward the candle. Closing my eyes, I blew the flame out as Mom and Chloe cheered excitedly.

"Happy birthday, baby girl!" Mom kissed the top of my head, smoothing my hair down. "You're finally 18!"

"Thanks, Mom."

I hungrily dug into the pancakes, my eyes closing in delight as the taste of pumpkin buzzed my taste buds. Taking a second bite, I eyed Mom and Chloe suspiciously as they slid two beautifully wrapped boxes towards me.

Mom's box was a shiny gold wrapping paper tied together with a ruby red ribbon in a big fancy bow. Chloe's was embraced by purple and pink polka dotted white paper and tied with a bright pink ribbon, her handwriting scribbled neatly across the sticker in the left corner.

"You really didn't have to get me anything," I mumbled, setting my fork down to stare at them.

"I'm your mother. I'm allowed to buy you a birthday present." Mom said teasingly.

"And as your best friend, so am I." Chloe stuck out her tongue. "Just open them before you keep protesting."

"Okay, okay!" I held up my hands in surrender, laughing.

Picking up Mom's gift first, I carefully unwrapped the box, attempting to avoid giving myself a papercut. Unrevealing a medium brown box slightly larger than a shoebox, I raised an eyebrow suspiciously as Mom handed me a pair of scissors to cut through the tape. I broke into giggles as I lifted the tissue paper, taking in the contents of the box in my lap.

"You seriously wrapped each present?" I removed the last of the snacks and candies layered on top of the presents as I turned to Mom, who was also chuckling.

"I had to do something special for your birthday. And I couldn't decide on what to get you so I made a gift box. Go on, open them!" Mom said, gesturing to the small packages.

I reached into the open box and pulled out a slender, rectangular item. Tearing the paper away, I grinned when I saw a hardcover diary with an attached lock and key; it was a pale pink color with my name engraved in gold cursive across the cover. Inside the front cover were the words "For the days when a talk with Mom can't help" scribbled in Mom's cursive writing, and I knew Mom mostly chose the diary for me to process everything that had been going on lately.

The next package contained a three-pack of disposable cameras; I squealed in delight as my mind recognized the green and white packaging. The last of the individually wrapped presents was a set of colored gel pens to go along with my new diary. I set the gifts aside and embraced Mom again.

"I love my presents, Mom. Thank you," I said as I rested my head against her shoulder.

"Okay, time for you to open Chloe's gift!" Mom placed the skinny box in my lap.

Undoing the ribbon, I slid the lid off the box and took out a scrapbook with a picture of Chloe and me from the first day of fourth grade on the cover. Tears began to swell in my eyes as I flipped the book open, seeing the photos of us throughout the years. Some pages also included things like movie ticket stubs, photo booth strips and old handwritten notes passed during class. It wasn't just a scrapbook filled with photos; it was a collection of our lives intertwined since birth.

"I can't believe you kept all of this," I murmured, tracing my fingers along the edges of a faded blue and white flower corsage I gave to Chloe freshman year for Homecoming; the year we decided to be each other's dates when the boys we were going with dumped us a week before to take two upperclassmen instead.

"Of course I kept everything," Chloe rolled her eyes, grinning. "You know I'm a sentimental kind of person. Besides, I wanted to make something for my best friend so she always had something to cheer her up, even if I wasn't around to do so."

"I love it, Peaches. You're the best." I leaned over and hugged her tightly.

The phone rang just then, the ringing sounding faint from the kitchen. Mom excused herself and hurried out of the room, her footsteps fading from our ears. Chloe gestured to the pile of goodies on the bed beside us.

"So, were we successful?" She giggled.

"Yes, I'd say this was a successful birthday so far." I smiled at my best friend. "Now, I'm guessing that you and Alice have something up your sleeves for later?"

"You know me so well." Chloe grinned mischievously. "But I'm not telling you anything, I don't want to ruin the surprise!"

"Ugh, you know I don't do well with surprises," I whined, leaning into her dramatically.

"You'll be fine," she swatted my knee playfully.

"Speaking of surprises," Mom reappeared in the doorway, "I have one for you, Chloe. Both of you, come now. Don't worry about getting dressed."

Mom motioned for us to follow, winking slyly at me and suddenly, I knew what the phone call was about. Grabbing my robe from the back of my door, I slid my arms through the sleeves and shoved my feet into my new black fuzzy slippers before running down the stairs after Chloe. Piling into the car, my energy level was bursting through the roof as I watched Chloe's face wrinkle in confusion when Mom pulled into a driveway five minutes later. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized the vehicle parked in front of us; it didn't seem to hit her until her parents stepped out of the front door, waving.

"SURPRISE!" They yelled excitedly as Chloe flung herself out of the backseat.

"What are you doing here?!?" Chloe half-yelled, throwing her arms around her family.

"We live here now!" Margaret exclaimed. "This is our new house!"

"When did you guys decide to do this?"

"We were in the process of signing paperwork when Julie brought you home so we could sign the transfer papers for school," Jameson spoke, smoothing down Chloe's hair as he kissed the top of her head. "We asked Julie and Autumn to keep it a secret until we officially moved."

"Well, go check out your room!" Margaret added, shooing her daughter inside. "Just make sure to be quiet, Casey's been put down for her mid-morning nap."

"Okay." Chloe's smile widened. "Autumn, come with me."

She grabbed my hand and led me through the house, both of us taking in the large rooms filled with the Marshalls' belongings; each room was an exact replica of their old house back in Michigan. Finally, we stopped in front of a door on the second floor of the house with a handmade sign with Chloe's name sprawled out in flowing painted letters; her mom's handwriting clearly etched onto the hanging wood, surrounded by sunflowers. Slowly, Chloe turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, her small gasp filling the space between us.

The walls were painted a light gray that evoked a feeling of foggy mornings with a crisp bite in the air, the windowsills a bright white to offset the cool color scheme. The furniture - bed frame, desk, dresser, nightstands, and shelves - were also painted white to stand out against the grey. Throughout the room were accents of teal and yellow mixed in with the gray and white; the most enhanced area being the bedspread as it was a floral design in the coordinating colors. On one of the nightstands sat a small teal lamp with a white and grey striped shade; on the other, a pale yellow vase filled with sunflowers.

Surrounding the closet door was a shelving unit; on each side of the door were seven small shelves lined neatly with books, figurines, and mini succulents. Above the door were two long shelves that held photo boxes clearly labeled with dates and collapsible storage containers at the top for Chloe to use. On the left side of the closet, almost directly across from the bed, sat a white desk paired with a black and teal chair and a teal dolphin lamp sitting nicely next to an organized mason jar display filled with pens and pencils.

The wall against the desk was decorated with various objects: a corkboard trimmed in black, a teal clock, numerous inspirational quotes with matching frames. Lastly, a white shelf display hung on the adjacent wall near the desk, covered in mini picture frames of Casey and Chloe, and Chloe and myself, along with trophies from Chloe's extracurricular activities over the years.

"Whoa," Chloe said, her eyes still wide as she looked around. "It feels like my room, but more..."

"Elegant? Sophisticated?" I suggested.

"Yeah."

"So, what do you think?" Margaret asked, leaning against the open doorway.

"I love it, Mom! Thank you," Chloe gushed before hugging her mom.

"Did you see your bathroom yet?" Margaret smiled mischievously.

"I have my own bathroom?!?" Chloe squealed.

"This whole floor is actually yours. Our bedroom and Casey's bedroom are on the first floor, which is for safety reasons, in case of a fire or some other kind of emergency. Didn't you notice that?" Margaret laughed as she beckoned us to follow her. "Your father is thinking of tearing down the other rooms up here and making you a sort of lounge space for you and your friends."

"Have I told you guys that you're the best parents ever lately?" Chloe shook her head. "Seriously. This is awesome."

"Just you wait," Margaret stopped in front of a door a few feet away from Chloe's room and pushed it inside. "Take a look."

Chloe's bathroom was half the size of her bedroom, coordinated in a similar color scheme. The walls were painted the same shade of teal, the hardwood floor appearing stained so the wood planks looked weathered in different shades of brown. One corner of the bathroom held a walk-in shower, with a waterfall showerhead and lined with a stone floor. Directly next to it was a white tub, outlined in polished gray marble with two stoned steps to match the shower. On the other side of the room was a white toilet with a matching sink, both shining under the bright glowing chandelier placed in the middle of the ceiling.

"It's beautiful," I said in awe, running my fingers along a plush yellow hand towel hanging near the sink. "I really like it, Peaches."

"I do too." Chloe's phone chimed in her hand and she glanced at the screen. "We probably should get ready for your surprise, Leaf. Alice is expecting us in a couple of hours."

"Okay, okay." I sighed, rolling my eyes playfully. "Let's go."

As soon as we got back to my house, Chloe ushered me straight up the stairs and into the bathroom. Pointing to the shower, she grabbed clean towels from the closet before disappearing into my bedroom. I knew she would toss me into the tub herself if I didn't get moving, so without another second of hesitation, I closed the door and stripped. The warm water melted away the tension building under my skin and I paused to enjoy the relaxing wave flowing over me. There was a light knock at the door and I heard the click as it was opened.

"Pick a color!" Chloe said loud enough to be heard over the running water.

"Pink," I said as I eyed her suspiciously from around the curtain. "Why?"

"Don't worry about it." She beamed brightly before abruptly shutting the door.

Shaking my head amusedly, I finished my shower in record time and wrapped my hair into a towel. After doing a quick check for any missed hairs on my legs from shaving, I had tied the sash on my robe just as another knock sounded; this time, Alice was peeking her head in to check on me.

"Are you almost ready, Autumn?" She asked, slightly annoyed. "We do have to make a few stops before heading back."

"Yes, Alice. You are now free to work your makeover magic on me," I replied teasingly, letting the small woman lead me into my bedroom where Chloe and Rosalie were waiting.

For the next hour, I sat at my vanity while the girls fussed over hairstyles and makeup ideas. The scene reminded me of my first date with Jacob when Angela and Jessica helped me get ready and I smiled at the memory. Rosalie was currently twisting my hair and putting bobby pins in different places, her eyes full of concentrated determination in the mirror.

Chloe moved around her as she did my makeup, the two of them in a silent dance without realizing it. Alice watched them with pursed lips, her eyes wandering over their handiwork. As Rosalie curled the last section of my bangs and Chloe double-checked the eyeshadow, they stepped back to let Alice look me over.

"Beautiful!" She chimed, clapping her hands in delight. "Now, the dress!"

She motioned for Chloe to get the outfit from my closet, her eyes lighting up her face. Chloe retrieved the black garment bag and carefully unzipped it, revealing a blush pink V-neck halter top dress. I gasped in awe as I ran my fingers over the tulle ruffled skirt.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"It's from Rosalie," Alice spoke, her grin widening as she held up a pair of round-toe high heels to match the dress. "The shoes are from Esme and I. Happy birthday!"

"You guys really didn't have to do that." Tears swelled in my eyes as I faced my friends.

"Okay, no crying." Rosalie smiled, fanning my face with her hand. "And don't be silly, Leaf. We're allowed to spoil you on your birthday. You're family."

"Come on, come on!" Alice waved her hands at us. "Put the dress on already!"

I nodded to Chloe who helped slide the dress over my head, securing the bow around my neck. Strapping the heels around my ankles, I held out my arms and spun in a slow circle for them. The smile on my face matched my friends' grins and we burst out into fits of giggles as the feeling of happiness elated through the room.

"Mom wanted pictures before we left," Chloe said as she headed towards the door. "I just have to change into my dress really quick."

"We'll wait for you downstairs," Alice said, already dragging me out of my room, Rosalie shaking her head behind us.

"Julie!" Rosalie called out when we reached the hallway. "Are you ready to see her?"

"I'm in the living room!" Mom yelled back.

"Ta-da!" Alice squealed, throwing her arms out as she "revealed" me to Mom, who looked like she was about to start crying.

"Oh, baby. You look gorgeous!"

"Thanks, Mom." I blushed at the attention as she motioned for me to spin around again.

"Do you have everything you need? Purse? Phone? Jewelry?" Mom asked, grabbing her camera from the bookcase.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" I started for the stairs before Alice held out her hand; the ring set Jacob had given me was nestled in her palm.

"I knew you wanted to wear them," Alice winked mischievously as I smiled sheepishly back at her.

"Thanks... so you know?"

"Know what?" With a laugh, she turned to Mom and began chatting about the plans for tomorrow.

At Carlisle's insistence, Mom knew all about Reed and the newborn army coming to Forks. Even though she was worried about us, especially me, she agreed to keep Charlie and Billy busy in La Push for the day. Since then, the concern in her eyes grew with each passing day; last night, I hugged her as tightly as I could muster, reassuring her that we would be fine. That I would be fine and come home to her in one piece. I knew she was trying not to think about it today because it was my birthday, but I knew Mom like the back of my hand; her eyes were still clouded with worry, her hands shaking slightly from the anxiety she was feeling.

"I'm ready for my close-up!" Chloe declared, posing dramatically in the doorway. Her dress hung off her shoulders, made of lace and silk in a beautiful sky blue; the color brought out her bright blue eyes and complimented her skin tone just perfectly.

"Alright, huddle together!" Mom instructed, turning on her camera with a smile. "Say 'happy birthday!'"

With a few clicks, Mom took numerous photos of us in a matter of minutes. Satisfied after the millionth shot, Mom shooed us out of the house as the phone rang.

"I'll see you girls in a little bit!" She called over her shoulder.

"I'm driving," Rosalie took her keys from Alice's outstretched hand as we made our way to her jeep parked next to my car.

"And you have to wear this," Alice handed me a blindfold.

I rolled my eyes and shot her a joking smile as I recognized the black material in my hands; the familiar pink rhinestone "Princess" across the front sparkled at me in the sunlight.

"Of course, Jacob is in on this," I said teasingly.

"Did you really think we would plan something without your boyfriend?" Chloe shook her head from the front passenger seat. "He'd kick our butts."

"Well, he could've tried." Alice shrugged, her eyes amused. "Everyone knows I plan the best parties."

"Yes, you do." I agreed as I slid the blindfold over my eyes, much to the delight of my friends.

The radio was turned up a little bit more, probably to drown out any outside noises so I couldn't tell where we were going. Alice and Chloe were discussing possible décor ideas for Chloe's room if she decided to change things up in the future, with occasional input from Rosalie. About fifteen minutes later, give or take, Rosalie stopped the car; the sound of the engine cutting to silence left a small ringing in my ears.

"Do not take that off!" I heard Alice say sternly as she unbuckled the seatbelt from my waist. "Chloe is going to help you out, okay?"

"Got it."

"Slowly," Chloe murmured to my right, her hand gently guiding my arm towards the opened door. "That's it, steady. Are you good to walk?"

"Lead the way, Peaches."

"About three steps in front of you are some stairs. There are four of them, the fourth is the porch. And now," Chloe instructed me and I lifted my foot up carefully, meeting the first step with the bottom of my shoe.

"Now, we're walking through the door... five more steps and turn to your left... okay, two more steps... Alice, right here?"

"Yes, okay stop walking, Leaf!" Alice's voice floated from somewhere in front of me. "On the count of three, Chloe... one... two... three!"

Chloe removed the blindfold and I blinked a couple of times, adjusting to the sudden light.

"Surprise!"

The room erupted into cheers around me and I jumped, taking in the familiar faces as laughter reached my ears. Everyone - our friends from school, the Cullens, the pack, Chloe's parents, Mom, Bella, Billy, and Charlie - was spread throughout the room in front of me, Jacob standing in the middle with a cake in his hands. Mom started singing the "Happy Birthday" song and everyone joined in. I couldn't stop the tears flowing down my cheeks as Chloe dragged me over to the cake, the lit candles flickering across Jacob's face as he beamed.

"Happy birthday, baby." He leaned to the side and kissed my cheek. "Make a wish."

Closing my eyes, I thought about the one thing I wanted, smiled and blew the candles out in one breath. The guys began cheering loudly again, causing the girls to laugh and roll their eyes. Jacob set the cake on a nearby table and Mom immediately began cutting pieces for everyone.

"So, what did you wish for?" Jacob asked mischievously, a smirk on his lips.