for my birthday i become a real person

[self_composed]

The eighteenth birthday is the best one. Bella is no longer A Minor. She no longer needs Charlie's or Renée's permission to do random things that real people are allowed to do. She still can't drink, but she doesn't feel like throwing her cognitive edge out a window anyway.

Also, she is going to get a cake.

Comments

[self_composed]

Bella's cake is nearly gone anyway. She polishes it off, thinks, and then cuts herself another sliver.

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice beams. It is clearly successful cake!

[self_composed]

Bella gives him a chocolatey kiss.

[edgeofyourseat]

He loves her. He loves her a lot.

He also kisses back very cheerfully and with a complete disregard for their audience.

[self_composed]

Bella cuts it out before it descends into unreasonable PDA, though.

"What'd you get for your birthday besides cake?" asks one of the random hall residents.

"Besides this lovely cake? My mom sent me a make-your-own-candle kit and a batch of homemade crackers, and my dad got me some books I wanted," Bella says.

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice hugs her briefly and then goes to grab himself another piece of cake. Mmm, chocolatey.