The Abandoned Sister | Jasper Hale | New Moon | Book Two

Chapter Two: The Birthday

    Daniella's eyes shot open in a panic as she tried to catch her breath from the nightmare she had awoken from. Before she could even process it her door was opened by her father, Charlie. 

    Dani sighed and looked over to Bella who had fallen asleep in her room the night before, it was tradition for the girls to have a 'sleepover' the night before their birthday. They would stay up late talking about everything they could think of, or sit in complete silence while watching the tv, or even blast music from their stereo and sing and dance along to the songs that would come on, however horrible they may have been.

    For the last few years, they had skipped the tradition or they were just not as happy about doing it, but since moving to Forks, Washington they had become somewhat closer over time. So, they decided to reinforce the tradition this year.

"Happy Birthday, girls." Charlie said, holding two neatly wrapped gifts in his hands.

"Dad, I thought we agreed on no gifts this year?" Bella spoke, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Your mother insisted, and I've learned to nod and smile when it comes to presents for our girls." Charlie spoke setting the two gifts on the bed in front of his children. Charlie sat on the chest at the end of Daniella bed as the girls each grabbed a gift and opened them.

    Bella unwrapped the present in front of her to see a photo album, but as she opened it she realized it was completely empty. She looked up at her father confused untill she looked over to see Daniella opening up her present.

    Daniella unwrapped the box in front of her to reveal a new camera. She looked over to her twin sister with a smile as they realized what their parents did.

"Wow, Dad this is actually perfect." Daniella spoke.

"Thanks, Dad." Bella smiled softly. Both of the girls leaned forward and hugged their father.

"Your mother and I coordinated- well, she coordinated me." Charlie joked, the girls laughed as they pulled away from the hug.

"We thought you could put your pictures in the photo album, record your senior year." Charlie sighed, "Huh, senior year... How'd you two get so old so fast?" He joked with us.

"We're not that old, dad." Dani and Bella had said together.

"I don't know, girls. Is that gray hair?" He asked squinting his eyes as he looked at their hair.

"What?!" The both ran over the the big mirror hung up on Daniella's wall and searched their hair for any sign of gray.

"I was kidding." Charlie laughed.

    Dani and Bella each grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at their father, "So not funny, Dad!" Bella said, a small laugh leaving her as Daniella ran a hand through her fully brown colored hair.

~•~

    Dani sighed, going over the dream she so vividly remembered as Bella drove their rusty old truck to school. It suddenly sent her back to her insecure thoughts about Jasper deserving better than her.

    As they pulled into the parking lot and stepped out of the truck, Daniella looked around for any sign of Jasper, but she was suddenly distracted by the voice of a certain idiot named Mike.

"Wherefore art thou, Bella?" Mike, recited a horribly inaccurate impression of Romeo. Mike, Eric, Angela and Jessica approached the Swan sisters like they had known each other for years. "Did you guys finish the Shakespeare assignment?"

"What he means to said is will you finish his?" Jessica joked with a fond roll of her eyes. Daniella could see that she liked Mike since the first day she came to Forks High. Mike was just to oblivious and stuck on Bella to even pay attention.