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[halfscarlet]

Planning a party was both easier and harder than Billy imagined it would have been. Luckily, he had the entire week to plan things out between classes, and with Alexis helping out wherever she could, things came together easily

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[turnedoutfine]

Alexis had been happy to help Billy out with planning Jacob's birthday party, both for the distraction afforded by how much busier it made her and because both guys were her friends. She, Coraline and Olive had managed to turn out a pretty impressive array of baked goods, and the decorations everyone who'd helped had managed to scrounge up looked great.

The music was playing, the party in full swing, but Alexis was hanging a little off to the side, sipping at a juice and talking to people she knew with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. One day at a time, was what she had told Billy, and that's what she was doing, trying her best to enjoy the night while she waited for a chance to say happy birthday to the guest of honor.

[quileutejacob]

"This is amazing, by the way."

Jacob knew Alexis had something to do with the planning of the party and he'd been pretty impressed that she and Billy had pulled off something so quickly. Jacob had never really been much for the whole planning thing.

"Thanks," he said a little lower, brushing a kiss against the top of her head.

[turnedoutfine]

"You're welcome," Alexis replied, giving Jacob a small smile. "It was the least I could do. Happy belated birthday. Are you having a good time?"

[quileutejacob]

"Oh definitely. You know I live for the social," Jacob said, gesturing toward the food set up. "Who managed to get all this together? Just you?"

[quileutejacob]

It was kind of a last minute thing, planning a party, but Jacob was kind of glad he'd let Billy talk him into it. He and Belle had spent his actual birthday together privately, which was really nice, but now he was ready to celebrate with the island at large.

"So, this is the celebration of my day of birth, huh? Pretty nice."

[provincialbelle]

Belle was still beaming away by the time that she found Jacob, pressing a kiss to his lips, both hands on his cheeks. "You have the most wonderful friends," she praised. "Look at all this!"

[quileutejacob]

"It's pretty amazing," Jacob agreed, wrapping his arms around Belle's waist and lifting her up a little. "You look amazing, too, by the way. Did the box give you this?"

[provincialbelle]

"It did," she agreed, excitedly as she kissed his lips, flicking up the hem of the dress just lightly. "So," she drew out the word. "Any plans for your big day, belatedly?"

[giftless]

Edmund didn't know Jacob particularly well. (He would not have presumed so much on him as to call him a friend anyway.) But he was Belle's boyfriend and had seemed quite nice when Edmund had met him, so Ed wasn't at all put out to attend his birthday party. Parties were no hardship, and with Charlie at his side this was especially true.

He helped himself to a cupcake first and foremost, like any teenage boy hard to distract when food was in the room.

[provincialbelle]

Belle was more than pleased to see Edmund and she drifted over to his side. She had a cupcake in her hand as well, glad to be celebrating her own birthday and Jacob's so close. "You came!" she said with great delight. "I'm so happy you did. Thank you!"

[giftless]

"Of course," Edmund replied with a broad smile for Belle. "Even though parties are such a terrible inconvenience," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "But it's only right I be here for you. And maybe get to know Jacob a little better, too."

[provincialbelle]

"Well, there is free food," she pointed out very seriously, but she pressed a kiss to his cheek nonetheless and eased away. "Jacob's a good man. I think you would like him if you got to know him. I don't really think he's leaving my life anytime soon and I'd like you and Charlie both to know him," she said, slightly earnest.

[provincialbelle]

There wasn't a reason in the world for her to not attend and she couldn't help her pleased smile when she did show up, happy for Jacob's friends to throw such a party. She had found a lovely dress for the occasion, put away all her books, and made sure she was there promptly to add to the well-wishing.

[teenagerenegade]

"Looking good, Belle!" says Charlie with a low whistle, sneaking up behind his friend and leaning over her shoulder to graze a kiss against her cheek. "Think Jacob's enjoying his party?"

[provincialbelle]

Belle smiled warmly as she leaned into Charlie's embrace. "I think that he's having a wonderful time," she said thoughtfully as she took a long look at Jacob across the party. "How old are you now, Charlie?"

[teenagerenegade]

"Eighteen," he says, his arm wrapped loosely around her shoulders as he watches the party, automatically picking out Edmund. "Nineteen next birthday."

[halfscarlet]

Spotting another face he didn't know, Billy headed over, still getting the hang of the whole party host thing.

"Hi," he said, getting an introduction over with as fast as he could to minimize the awkwardness, but only highlighting it instead, "I'm Billy. Thanks for coming."

[halfscarlet]

"Nice to meet you," Billy said, glad to see she seemed to be enjoying herself so far. "Are you a friend of Jacob's?"