Chapter 2: First Impressions
The ancient Chevy truck groaned in protest as Bella guided it into the Forks High School parking lot. The weather, predictably, was a gloomy overcast that threatened rain at any moment. "Well, isn't this cheery," Prism's voice echoed in Bella's mind. The dragon, invisible to all but Bella, was curled around her neck like an iridescent scarf. "Nothing says 'welcome to high school' quite like the threat of impending downpour." Bella sighed, parking the truck in an empty spot. "Prism, please. I'm nervous enough as it is." "Oh come on," the dragon teased, "what's there to be nervous about? It's just a building full of hormone-driven teenagers who'll be absolutely fascinated by the new girl. No pressure at all." Rolling her eyes, Bella gathered her courage and stepped out of the truck. As she made her way to the main office, she could feel the curious stares of her new classmates. Prism's comforting weight around her neck was the only thing keeping her from turning tail and running. The morning passed in a blur of introductions and awkward small talk. By lunchtime, Bella had accumulated a small group of friendly faces, led by an overly enthusiastic girl named Jessica. As they entered the cafeteria, Bella's eyes were drawn to a table in the corner. Five impossibly beautiful students sat there, not eating, barely talking, yet somehow dominating the room with their mere presence. "Who are they?" Bella asked Jessica, unable to look away. Jessica followed her gaze and giggled. "Oh, those are the Cullens. They're Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids. They moved down here from Alaska a few years ago." As Jessica rattled off their names – Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Edward, and Jasper – Bella felt a strange tingling sensation at the base of her skull. Prism, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly tensed. "Bella," the dragon's voice was uncharacteristically serious, "something's not right about them. They smell... wrong." Before Bella could process this, she locked eyes with Edward Cullen. His expression shifted from indifference to frustration to outright confusion in the span of seconds. Beside him, Jasper Hale stiffened, his golden eyes widening as they fixed on a point just above Bella's shoulder – exactly where Prism was perched. "Uh, Bells," Prism's voice held a note of panic, "I think the blonde one can see me." Bella's heart raced. It wasn't possible. Only dragon shifters or their mates could see dragons in their compact form. But the intensity of Jasper's stare left little doubt.
"Earth to Bella!" Jessica's voice broke through her panic. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Bella forced a smile. "Sorry, just... got lost in thought. New school jitters, I guess." As they sat down to eat, Bella could feel the weight of the Cullens' stares on her back. She picked at her food, her appetite gone.
"So," Prism piped up, attempting to lighten the mood, "on a scale of one to 'spontaneously combusting', how badly do you think we've blown our cover?" Bella groaned internally. "Not helping, Prism." The rest of the day passed in a haze of anxiety. In Biology, Bella was paired with Edward Cullen, who seemed to be trying to bore a hole through her with his intense stare. She could practically feel Prism bristling with protective energy. As the final bell rang, Bella all but ran to her truck. She climbed in, hands shaking as she turned the key.
"Well," Prism said, materializing on the dashboard, "that was... interesting. I don't suppose we could convince your dad to homeschool you?" Bella leaned her forehead against the steering wheel. "What are we going to do, Prism? If Jasper can see you..." "Then he's either the world's most unlikely dragon shifter, or..." Prism trailed off, leaving the implications hanging in the air. "Or he's my mate," Bella finished, her voice barely a whisper.
As they drove home in silence, neither Bella nor Prism noticed the silver Volvo following at a discreet distance, its occupants engaged in a heated discussion about the new girl with the invisible companion. In the forests surrounding Forks, unseen eyes watched the unfolding drama with great interest. The balance of power in this supernatural nexus was about to shift dramatically, and the last of the dragon shifters would be at the center of it all.