05

*＊✿❀❀✿＊*Chapter Five: Birthday*＊✿❀❀✿＊*

Paul Lahote was the next Quileute boy to Shift. There was a longer period that Jules had to wait for before she could go down to La Push as Paul was a bit of a hothead and his transformations only highlighted that. Eventually, when Sam felt that Paul was as in control of himself as he could be, Jules ventured down to the Reservation where she cooked dinner for the three Shifters. She didn't exactly know why she had become the pack's chef, she supposed it had something to do with being the Alpha's missus.

Jules still saw Jacob whenever she could over the summer. She chose not to tell him about her and Sam. Firstly because they weren't 'official' and she couldn't explain the whole imprinting thing (even if she wanted to) and secondly due to the fact that Jacob really didn't like Sam. The way Jacob would speak about Sam, Jared and Paul, you would think they were apart of some cult or something. She knew that due to his bloodline, it was only a matter of time before Jacob Shifted, and she didn't particularly want to tell him until she had to.

Jules spent most of her summer in La Push, but Charlie didn't seem to mind as he was happy enough with who she was spending her time with (he knew she didn't have many friends in Forks and he rather liked the Quileute boys, better than Edward Cullen, anyway). She often came home at the end of the night, only staying at Sam's if they had plans the next day and therefore it was simply convenience. Jules was open with Charlie regarding her relationship with Sam (well, as open as one can be when there as rules about humans knowing about Shifters), the last thing she wanted was for her father to think badly of Sam, the way that he did Edward.

"I don't want to go," Jules groaned, dramatically flopping onto the sofa.

Sam chuckled amusedly, "you have to go to school, love."

Jules' heart skipped a beat at the pet name, but she playfully rolled her eyes at him instead. "But I won't have you there."

"But I'll always be here, Jules," Sam reminded her with a reassuring smile. "You know you're welcome to come by whenever. Except," he added when he saw the mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "during school hours." Jules grumbled at that making Sam laugh. Sam walked towards her, squatting down beside where she lay on the sofa, cupping her jaw before pressing his lips to hers. Jules smiled into it, and pulled him closer to her. Sam was happy to oblige as he climbed up onto the sofa, neither one breaking the kiss as Jules sat up and moved to straddle his lap, interlocking her hands behind his neck as he rested his on her waist. Make-out sessions with Sam were, undoubtedly, Jules Swan's favourite pastime.

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The Swan twins had a difference of opinion on September 13th. For Bella, it was the absolute worst day of the year; she literally couldn't imagine anything more appalling than all the attention that a birthday usually brings a person, made 10 times worse by Edward being in her life as she was (on paper) a year older than he was, despite him actually being over-a-century old.

On the other hand, Jules absolutely loved her birthday. She loved being treated like a princess on her special day. It had been practically impossible for the Swan twins to share a birthday as up until a few months ago, they lived in different States. The only difficulty being now, obviously everyone in the school knew that it was Jules' birthday, as she had grown up here. So, for the past week, she made it her mission to speak to everyone in school, even the teachers, and tell that, yes, whilst she and Bella were twins so obviously shared the same birthday, no one was to comment about Bella's part in it.

Jules woke first that morning, so obviously she thought it only right to go in and jump on her sister to wake her — what loving sibling wouldn't?

"Happy birthday Belly!" Jules grinned as Bella slowly opened her eyes to see her sister quite literally straddling her hips.

"Get off me," Bella grumbled, unable to hide a smile at the adorable expression on Jules' face. "Happy birthday, JuJu. Shall we get this out of the way, then?"

"That's the spirit," Jules rolled her eyes, earning her a middle finger paired with a sarcastic smile, which made her laugh. "It's only small, I promise." Bella shook her head disbelievingly as Jules pulled out a small bag from behind her back. She handed it to Bella who thanked her before she handed Jules a small, wrapped gift of her own. Knowing that the one thing Bella hated more than presents, was people watching her open said presents, Jules immediately took to unwrapping hers. The gift revealed itself to be a simple sapphire-coloured, beaded bracelet. Except, attached to the bracelet was a small, dangling silver charm, with 'I Love You Forever, JuJu' etched on it in black writing. On the back of the charm, it read 'Love, Belly'.

"Belly.." Jules smiled in awe, "it's beautiful. Thank-you."

"Glad you like it," Bella smiled as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I love this too," Bella grinned, looking at the gift in her hands. "I've been looking for one forever. Where'd you get it?"

"They just got a new stock up in Port Angeles," Jules grinned back. Sam had taken her the other week, and she immediately headed for the bookstore, still grinning at the printed email in her hands. A first edition of The Secret Garden had come in last night, and Jules had been notified. The Secret Garden was a favourite of the twins growing up; they would read a chapter and then talk on the phone for hours upon hours about it. Bella had lost her copy just before she had moved to Forks, and she had been devastated, so Jules had been adamant to find it for her.

A knock on the door sounded, before the man entered. Charlie made his way into the room carrying four gifts, three wrapped, one not.

"Happy birthday, girls," Charlie smiled at his daughters, still in disbelief that he had two 18-year-old daughters.

"Dad," Bella rolled her eyes, "we agreed, no gifts."

"I made no agreement so.. gimme," both Charlie and Bella laughed, as Charlie threw her both of the wrapped gifts. Jules smiled softly at that. Never, in her eighteen years of life, had Jules ever received a gift from her mother for her birthday. Charlie never wanted his daughter to feel abandoned by her mother, and also always provided her with two gifts, pretending that one was from Renée. Jules caught on very early on that both were, in fact, from her father, as there was absolutely no way that Renée would have known Jules' favourite book, what type of clothes she liked to wear, her favourite colour, her favourite hobbies etc.. but, the girl played along for her father's sake. Bella never knew, either. Always assuming that when Jules talked about her presents that her mother knew her other daughter just as well as her.

"Thank-you, Dad," Jules threw her arms around his neck when Bella left to go to the bathroom.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Charlie repeated, heading to his own room to get ready for work when the pair parted.

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"You're absolutely sure that nobody's going say anything?"

"Bella," Jules looked her sister in the eyes, "do you trust me?" Bella visibly relaxed at that. "I can't guarantee you won't receive a look now and then," Bella rolled her eyes at that, "but I promise you, nobody's going to mention it's your birthday." Sure, Jules still found it weird how strongly her twin hated their birthday, but it wasn't her place to judge. "You ready?"

"No," Bella responded earnestly, earning her a laugh before the pair opened their doors and stepped down from Bella's truck, both shouldering their bags in-sync. Jules raced ahead of her sister, knowing their friends would want to wish her a happy birthday. Jules thanked all of them before Bella came over, gesturing for them all to get in a picture for her scrapbook. Obviously, Jules placed herself in the middle, just in front of Jessica and Angela who had wrapped an arm each around her.

"JJ!"

Jules knew that voice anywhere, and she practically ran away from her friends, only to crash into Jacob's awaiting arms. He spun her around a few times, making her laugh, before setting her back down.

"What the hell are you doing here, J?"

Jacob grinned, "I can't not see my best-friend on her birthday." Jules reciprocated his grin before wrapping her arms around him once more. "This is for you," he said when they parted, pulling out a small keychain, inscribed with 'My First Choice'. "I know I've been a bit too, for lack of a better word, obsessed with Bella lately so this is just to reiterate that I haven't forgotten my number one girl."

"JJ," Jules did all she could to not let the tears escape but to no avail as she, once again, wrapped her arms around her best-friend. "I love you, always."

"I love you too, JJ," Jacob grinned when the pair pulled away. "Now, I did have a gift for Bella but I can't totally take it back or.."

"Shut up, J," Jules playfully pushed him back; that annoying smirk only grew. "I warn you, though, she might rip your head off. She hates her birthday." Jules chuckled and hugged Jacob one last time, before heading into the school.

Jules loved the special treatment she received from teachers on her birthday. She wasn't picked on to answer any questions, plus she got to choose what sport they played in Gym that day (unfortunately for Bella, Jules chose dodgeball which may or may not have resulted in Jules absolutely pummelling her sister).

Earlier in the day, she was cornered by Alice Cullen, asking if she would come to their place to celebrate the twin's birthday. Jules thanked Alice for the invitation but politely declined, knowing that she already had plans down at the Quileute Rez.

Jules made her own way down after school, knowing Bella wouldn't drop her off without demanding an explanation as to who she would be with, and that was something Jules really didn't want to get into right now. The brunette made her way through the woods as usual, suddenly noting that just up ahead, a familiar shadow was awaiting her. Jules all but ran into his arms.

Sam caught his Imprint with ease, hugging her back as he felt like for the first time since he'd last seen her, he could finally breathe. Sam hated every second that he was without her, and had even come close to crossing the Treaty Line a couple of times just to hold her in his arms again. Jared and Paul had to talk him out of that a couple of times.

"Happy birthday, beautiful," Sam muttered into her hair, brushing it aside when they parted so he could connect their lips. "How's your day been so far?"

"Rather enjoyable," Jules decided, unable to wipe the smile off her face as Sam led her back to his place.

"Well, it's hopefully about to get even better," Sam said cryptically. Jules' nose scrunched up in confusion as to what he meant. "I made dinner. Well, tried to. I don't really know how it's gonna taste but"

"You made dinner?" She interrupted his ramblings. Sam looked down to Jules who had stopped walking, simply looking at him with doe eyes and a blush across her cheeks that melted his heart. "No-one's ever done that for me before."

"I should hope so," Sam couldn't help but grin. "Only I should get to treat you like the princess you are. Especially today."

"You're going to make me cry, mister," Jules pointed at him accusingly(jokingly).

"I don't ever want to see tears on that pretty face," Sam said, and Jules felt she had no choice but to believe him by how serious his expression was. Sam softly cupped her jaw, connecting their lips for mere seconds before letting her go. "I love you, Juliana Swan. Would you do me the greatest honour of letting me be your boyfriend?"

Jules giggled at the phrasing but smiled up at him at the words she would never get tired of hearing. "I would love nothing more than to be your girlfriend, Samuel Uley." Sam's heart backflipped. "I love you."

Who knows who did it first, neither really cared anymore, but Sam and Jules' lips met once more,