I. First Day Blues
Few circumstances provoked my inner serial killer. But repeating high school yet again threatened to push me over that fine, knife-like edge.
Already, I sensed the tedium beginning to settle along my consciousness with dread―the same dull lectures, the same soporific homework, the same wearisome classmates. I hadn't been here a full ten minutes and already I itched to have a break from the drudgery.
The monster in my head imagined what it would be like to cause a little bloodshed and I was forced to subdue every violent thought. Decades of effort and uncompromising discipline made it manageable. Then again, after last month's incident, Jasper was having a more difficult time than usual, so, perhaps my wish would be granted after all.
But if that were the case, we would be forced to relocate. Again.
We had only arrived to Forks a few days prior and had yet to completely settle in, but we had learned that starting school right alongside everyone else was the perfect time to slip in unnoticed. Generally, the student population was too absorbed with themselves to acknowledge us the way they would if we were to break their day-to-day routine.
At present, I was surrounded by a gushing river of thoughts mainly consisting of summer gossip, first day outfits, and uncertainties regarding the schedule for the semester. While our presence had caused a blip in that, we were not their prevailing concern. After all, there were only so many thoughts that could be spared our way amongst self-involved adolescents. Perhaps in a day or two, I would be forced to curtail impending friendships and female pursuit.
Or, perhaps not.
I had only just paused beside my assigned locker when I sensed someone stepping directly to my side. From my peripherals, I caught a glimpse of a girl. She was beautiful, undaunted, which was not unusual. Most girls who approached me so quickly could be categorized as both.
Red painted lips pulled back to smile sweetly at me, a hand reaching up to push away the long, black box braids framing her face. "Hi. You must be Edward Cullen. I'm Nadia."
Now that I had heard her voice out loud, listening for her mental voice should have been easy.
It wasn't.
Of the dozens of thoughts echoing throughout the corridor, her soft voice was not amongst them. I frowned, unexpectedly feeling off-balanced, and turned fully to face her.
"Hello," I replied, distantly polite, as I furiously tried to pick up on her thoughts. But, it was as though no one was there, despite what my eyes could easily perceive. "A pleasure to meet you."
Her cheeks reddened invitingly. "Likewise," she replied shortly, eyes fluttering, emphasizing their startling shade of pale blue. It was a striking contrast against her brown skin.
Although it wasn't the oddest thing about her, I could hardly ask about her silent mind. I leaned closer, as though that would somehow provide access. It didn't.
"Your eyes…they are a unique shade. Who did you inherit them from?" I asked, mostly to keep her at my side a moment longer, pushing beyond my unease. Forcing my gift to work―it was not something I had ever had to do. And close proximity had never been necessary.
Her momentary silence served to unsettle me. Surely, there was nothing intriguing about her thoughts. But their evasion frustrated me to no end.
And then, she admitted, "I didn't. They used to be black."
I did not require the two medical degrees under my belt to know that that wasn't how genetics worked. "…You woke up one day, and they were suddenly blue?"
"Basically. I think it was caused by the crystal I used. It's gone now, but I can think of no other source for the change."
Her nonsensical progression of illogic served to momentarily stun me. "You used a crystal? For what purpose?"
I briefly wondered if this was some sort of practical joke.
Nadia's clear eyes offered no deceit. "To make a wish."
"Don't listen to her nonsense," a new voice abruptly cut in. "She's just wearing contacts. Sorry about her. She's been acting weirder than usual."
I turned to the new face. She was smaller than Nadia's willowy figure, with a head of bright red hair and an expression twisted in confused annoyance. Is she insane? Since when can Nadia talk to boys? And a Cullen of all people!
"…I see." I figured it was best not to argue. Evidently, this girl believed Nadia's new iris shade was artificial, despite what my enhanced eyesight could clearly detect. Dissuading her of this fact would only serve to point out my own abnormalities.
Unlike Nadia, the redhead was unable to meet my eyes for longer than a split second, as was expected of most humans.
Another oddity.
And the more I listened to her thoughts, the more curious I became. She was recalling the abrupt turnaround in Nadia over the past week―the change in eye color, her sudden forgetfulness, the shift in personality. Undeniably, there was more to Nadia than just her silent mind.
With one last look of apprehension thrown my way, she gripped Nadia's arm and began dragging her away, quietly berating her. Meanwhile, I continued to try and make sense of the two Nadia's currently paralleled in her mind. One was dark-eyed, with a cheerful smile and inside jokes always ready at hand―her best friend. The other―blue-eyed, smile distracted, constantly daydreaming, and easily confused by most of her words.
The abrupt change in personality frightened the redhead and only served to intrigue me further. All the while, Nadia continued to remain eerily silent.
I was startled out of my thoughts when the first bell of the day rang. I turned away with a sense of relief. I didn't want to continue to fail at this. It was irritating.
Perhaps, the monotony of high school was not so overrated after all.
I only saw my family in passing until the lunch hour came around.
I shared a single class with Alice. Pretending to be my fellow sophomore, we were scheduled for chemistry together in sixth period, just after lunch.
Foregoing purchasing any food, I ducked around the line winding around the cafeteria and strode straight towards the back where my family already sat, lunch trays displayed before them, pausing beside the only empty seat.
"I met a girl."
As far as openings went, it wasn't a terrific choice of words.
"Oooh," Emmett crowed, eyes shining gleefully. "It's about time, Eddie! So, who is the lucky gal?"
"I'll try my best not to eat this one," Jasper swore, lips twitching.
I scowled and dropped into the seat across from him. "That is not what I meant."
"Obviously, we know that," Rosalie scoffed, flinging back a lock of blonde hair. "Does she suspect?" Unbelievable. We've only been here a week!
I shook my head. "That's exactly my problem. I don't know." At their intrigued expressions, I elaborated, "I cannot read her thoughts."
Their faces slackened in shock.
"Maybe you're losing your touch, buddy."
I ignored Emmett and turned to Alice instead. "I am unsure if it's just me she's immune to."
Alice picked up on my suggestion before I could voice it. "Right. Which one is she?" Her eyes scoured the small cafeteria full of chattering humans.
Unable to pinpoint the sound of her thoughts, I was forced to search amongst the students alongside her, until I spotted the familiar braids and dark-colored skin, only to meet her pale eyes head on. It appeared she had found me, before I could find her.
She waved at me.
"That's her," I murmured to Alice, "sitting beside the redheaded girl."
"Oh." Alice smiled and returned her wave, before turning back to meet my gaze. "That's Nadia Swan and Katie Marshall. They're freshman. Rose and I share gym class with them. They're basically attached at the hip."
I hummed in acknowledgment, not voicing my suspicion that it was currently one-sided. It was difficult to make definitive conclusions when Nadia remained an empty space where her thoughts should be.
"Are you able to see her?"
Alice looked ahead into the future, mind flickering through a few visions―Nadia walking beside Katie to their next class (English with Mr. Mason), and later, Nadia sitting beside me in what appeared to be our shared Spanish class with Mrs. Goff.
I released a breath of disappointment. "Perhaps, I am losing my touch."
"Ah, don't fret, Edward. At your age, these things are bound to happen," Emmett failed to console me.
I glowered at him.
"I'll give it a look," Jasper offered. But after a couple of moments, he admitted, "Sorry, Edward. It's just you."
"That's what I was afraid of."
Jasper shrugged. "Have you considered? It could be that she has no thoughts."
Emmett guffawed and I just barely refrained from scoffing.
"Don't be absurd."
"Okay, so you can't read her mind," Rosalie said in a dismissive tone, rolling her eyes. "Big deal. I was more concerned with knowing if she suspected anything about us."
"Oh. I suppose not, though she was acting peculiarly according to her friend's memories." I lifted my shoulders in a helpless gesture. "All I can say is, she's strange."
"Sit together in Spanish," Alice suggested, recalling her vision once more. "And you can find out for yourself."
"I don't see how befriending the girl would make her any less of a threat." Rosalie scowled. "I suggest we simply stay away from her. It's unlikely she knows anything. There's no sense in making her suspicious."
"True," I agreed.
"Then it's settled," she decided, tone satisfied.
Beside me, Alice hummed. In her mind, her vision remained unaltered.
Later, during my last period of the day, I discovered why no decision of mine could affect the future.
Mrs. Goff had put together an assigned seating chart. And in the desk at the very back corner, beside the window, was Nadia Swan.
As soon as her eyes locked with mine, they lit up. Again, she steadily maintained eye-contact with me until I slid into my assigned seat beside her.
"Hi again," she said, smile pleasant, if not a little eager.
I nodded, eyeing her curiously from my peripherals. "Hello."
"Sorry about Katie this morning. I don't think she likes me very much."
Unable to ignore her, I angled myself in her direction and said, "I was under the impression that you two were best friends."
Nadia blinked, the gesture serving to emphasize her long, curling lashes. "Oh. I guess that would explain why her and her mom picked me up this morning. And why we share nearly all of our classes together. And why she kept showing up to my house all of last week."
"Yes, that would explain that," I agreed dryly, briefly contemplating the merits of Nadia having suffered a head injury. Although, that still would not account for the odd change of her eyes.
She nodded in agreement. "You must think I'm dumb for taking so long to realize it. I guess I've just been distracted."
I arched an eyebrow. "Distracted by what?" A distraction would hardly explain her change in personality and addled memories. From Katie's point of view, it was like Nadia was a different person altogether.
The tardy bell rang and Nadia shot me a helpless shrug, before turning to Mrs. Goff, who called the class' attention from the front of the room.
I frowned, disappointed, but ultimately decided it was for the best.
Rosalie was right. Getting involved with a human could only spell disaster for us.
A/N: I currently don't have the mental energy to write fic, and the server for my online summer class is down, so here's a dusty draft from 2022 lol. It's a wonder I found it again amongst the endless docs, but I hope you all liked it.
