It was like I was human again and I'd suddenly forgotten how to breathe. My lungs grew heavy and the stomach trapped inside my stone body was twisted into a knot. If it weren't for several reasons, the main being my family sitting just beside me, I surely would have doubled over or dropped down onto my knees even. The voices, the bodies, the scenery shifted out of focus and all I could see was her. Luminous, creamy white skin accented by long cascades of auburn locks and deep, chocolate brown eyes. Eyes that held such depth, such stories; stories I suddenly found myself wanting to know, wanting to be apart of.
There had been talk of her, whispers of her arrival. To some, the ones who were clearly attracted to this girl had seen her as the most interesting thing this town had to offer. To others, she was the girl next door. A boring, plain Jane no one had the time to pine over. For me, I had expected the latter. I had expected a girl who I wouldn't settle my eyes on to more than twice unless absolutely necessary. Another girl I'd pass in the hall and not pay any mind to. A girl I'd soon forget when the weeks, months, years passed and my family was settled elsewhere. Yet here I sat, eyes burning into the side of her head like she was the most interesting thing I'd ever laid eyes on.
I could hear a familiar voice in the distance, several actually; though for a moment, it was difficult to concentrate enough so that I could make out what was being said towards me. I blinked, unnecessarily to be honest, since the need wasn't there and with furrowed brows I dragged my attention to the direction and source of the voice.
"You didn't.." Edward's stern, horrified yet hushed voice suddenly rang clear in my ears and I cocked my head to one side; clearly oblivious to what he had asked. Didn't what, exactly? Sure Edward read minds, but years of living with a mind reader taught you ways to conceal the mind from him; avert your thoughts when you wanted him out of them. I had done just that the moment I was in his presence again for this period. Or so I thought. Maybe I'd been so lost in my trance, so lost in my sudden state of interest that I'd let him into my thoughts, let something in for him to see. I wasn't quite sure. Even now, as I tried to think of what Edward had asked, I found it difficult to keep my eyes on his own furious ones. A yearning to avert my eyes back onto her not only confusing me but physically hurting me. "Rosalie!?" My name was called out, this time from a more melodic, soft voice and I turned my eyes towards my sister's direction, her own eyes mirroring our brothers own. Completely and utterly horrified.
"Didn't what Edward..?" I spoke towards him though my eyes stayed semi focused on Alice. As if having a silent conversation, as they often did, they turned towards each other. A few hard blinks, head shakes then finally a single nod and again the attention was on me. What had been so terrible, so absolutely terrifying that these two had to debate silently on the situation? I found myself running back on the last few moments, coming up short with a reason for their odd behavior. "Alice? Did you see something?" It took a moment, but the tiny girl nodded, her eyes growing wide as if she were reliving a vision she had, seeing it all again.
"Yes. Rose you, could you not tell? I mean, of course not but.. I mean.. how is this possible?" Her voice had grown so low that it was barely a whisper. It would have been hard for even me to hear, had I not been paying attention, even with my enhanced hearing.
"Tell.. what? How is what possible?!" The annoyance and impatience was suddenly clear in my voice and my brows pushed further together, if that were even possible. I leaned forward, as far as the cafeteria table allowed and bore my eyes into her own. The horror from earlier being replaced by hurt and I let out a breath. I hadn't meant to be so harsh, but with Edward staring daggers into my face and their cryptic sentences, it was hard not to lose my usual calm. "Alice, please. I'm in the dark here.. what did you see? What's happening?"
My sister turned once more as if asking my brother for a final, silent confirmation and I had to suppress the urge to roll my eyes. She fidgeted where she sat, unusual for Alice and with a nod, more to herself than anyone, she spoke.
"You've imprinted. On her."
Imprinted? I mentally laughed, then physically did so. The sounds ranging from disbelief to pure shock. If Alice was correct about anything, it was that this was impossible. I sure as hell didn't imprint and I sure as hell hadn't done it on a human. Those things just didn't happen. And if they had, there'd been no record of such a thing.
"This changes everything. Ruins everything; what we've built. The family. What will everyone think Rosalie? Emmett.." The name suddenly caught my attention and I whipped my head up, hands balling into fists beneath the table.
"I.. have not.. imprinted." I all but spat my words, through gritted teeth and in the corner of my eye I could see Alice all but cower.
"But I saw and it just hap-"
"NO." I yelled in her direction and she sunk back into her seat, arms folding across her chest defensively. A few people sat near had grown quite at the sound of my sudden outburst and I narrowed my eyes; suddenly pushing myself off the seat I had been settled in, the metal scraping across the floor as it skidded a few feet behind me.
"I haven't." I spoke those words, more to myself really and with that I turned on my heel and fled the cafeteria; very aware that I had passed her on my way out. Very aware that her eyes had been on me as I did so, though I couldn't give in to the need to return her gaze. I ignored the tug inside of me and kept a steady pace until I'd left school grounds completely and once I knew I was completely out of sight, I broke out into a full run. It had begun to rain again, rather hard, though it made no difference. Even as the water penetrated my hair, soaked the clothes I dawned and blurred my vision, I kept running. Away from the humans that were a daily tempt, a daily reminder of what we were. Away from my family, who clearly had lost their minds. And away from her.
Eventually, the miles and miles of trees broke and I found myself in the middle of an empty field, a massive rock sat just a few feet away; a narrow, shallow creek just beside it. Now still, my hair sat limp against my wet skin, against the wet fabric of my top. Without a thought, I fell to the ground, flat on my back and forced my eyes towards the sky. The usual, dark grey, gloomy sky. A perfect representation of what I was currently feeling.
Deep down, I knew that my siblings, the one's I'd made out as liars only moments ago, hadn't been wrong. Thinking back, to the moment she had walked in, it made sense. Though I hated that it did.
The way gravity had suddenly shifted; my gravity shifted. Bound to her. The way my world seemed to settle on this one human. Nothing, no one mattered in that moment. Just her. The need to protect her, care for her. The tug of my heart, calling out for her. Even now, the still organ throbbed, ached to be in her presence again. To be united with it's.. imprint.
Shutting my eyes, I let the rain continue to cover me as I took in that terrifying thought. One I had swallowed away the moment it had been voiced. It filled me with a sense of fear, of panic and complete loss. Yet it also filled me with a sense of belonging.
It was a hard thought to process, let alone come to terms with but I, Rosalie Cullen, have imprinted on a human.
Isabella Swan.
