Isabella woke up with a start, her chest tight and beads of sweat forming on her forehead. The battle against the Eternals played on a relentless loop in her mind—the clang of weapons, the cries of her family fighting for their lives, and the raw, desperate determination to survive. She clenched her blanket, her breathing uneven as anxiety surged through her.
Elliot's voice broke through her panic, calm and steady. "Izzy, what's wrong?"
Isabella exhaled shakily. "Nothing. Just thinking about skipping literature today. I don't feel like facing the day."
"You should skip it," Elliot said, his tone light but supportive. "No matter what, you know I've got your back, right?"
A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Ew. Stop being so sappy."
"I'm serious," Elliot said softly. "If you need anything, just say the word."
"I know," Isabella replied, her heart swelling with gratitude for her brother's unwavering support.
As their telepathic conversation ended, a voice from across the room startled her.
"Hey," Claire said quietly, her soft voice breaking through the morning stillness. Isabella turned her head to find Claire watching her from her desk. She sat cross-legged, her dark hair loose and slightly tousled, the light from the window highlighting her sharp cheekbones and delicate freckles. Isabella blinked, momentarily caught off guard by how striking she looked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Isabella said, her voice a little hoarse.
Claire tilted her head, her green eyes searching Isabella's face. "You sure?"
Isabella hesitated, then nodded.
Claire stood, slipping on a light jacket. "My class got canceled this morning. I was going to grab breakfast and take a walk around campus. Want to come?"
Isabella considered saying no, but the thought of staying alone in the dorm with her spiraling thoughts felt unbearable.
"Sure," she said, pulling herself out of bed.
The two made their way to a small café on campus. The scent of fresh coffee and baked goods filled the air as they ordered—Isabella chose a sausage croissant and chai latte, while Claire went with a breakfast burrito and iced mocha.
They walked to a bench beneath a large oak tree, the golden sunlight streaming through the leaves. As they sat down, Isabella found herself noticing things about Claire she'd never paid attention to before.
Her roommate smelled faintly of strawberries, a warm and sweet scent that lingered in the air between them. Her skin was smooth, dotted with light freckles that added to her natural beauty. The sunlight caught in her emerald-green eyes, making them sparkle. Even the way she moved—graceful and effortless—captured Isabella's attention.
"Do you usually wake up this early?" Claire asked, pulling Isabella out of her thoughts.
"Not really," Isabella admitted, taking a sip of her chai. "But I couldn't sleep. You?"
"Only when I have to," Claire said with a small smile.
That smile caught Isabella off guard. It was rare to see Claire express much beyond her usual quiet reserve, and it softened her in a way that made Isabella's heart skip.
"Where are you from?" Isabella asked, eager to keep the conversation going.
"Portland," Claire said. "It was just me, my mom, and my aunts. Quiet life, I guess."
Isabella nodded, feeling a small connection. "I'm from Forks. Grew up with my parents and my brother, Elliot. Juliette and Nathaniel aren't blood-related, but they're family to me."
Claire's lips curled into another soft smile. "Sounds nice. I've always been kind of…on my own."
The conversation drifted naturally into shared interests. Isabella learned that Claire was an avid reader, a gamer, and had a soft spot for cheesy romance movies.
"I can't believe you watch those," Isabella teased, laughing.
"They're comforting," Claire said, her cheeks flushing faintly.
Isabella found herself staring again, taking in the way Claire's lashes framed her eyes and the curve of her lips. Her own cheeks warmed, and she quickly looked away, focusing on her croissant.
After their breakfast, Isabella headed to biology class, where they were supposed to observe and grow tomato plants. As she entered the greenhouse, the earthy smell of soil and the gentle warmth of the sun-drenched room enveloped her. She noted the rows of vibrant green plants, but her gaze quickly fell on a few sad, wilted ones left over from the previous semester.
Isabella felt a twinge of sympathy. She couldn't let the plants suffer like that—not when she could help. Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, she reached out with her magic, feeling the familiar warmth flow through her. She whispered encouragement to the struggling plants, and slowly, they began to perk up, their leaves turning a brighter shade of green.
"Wow, they're coming back to life!" a classmate exclaimed, noticing the transformation. Isabella turned, smiling sheepishly.
"Just giving them a little love," she said, feeling a sense of pride swell in her chest.
Later that day, Isabella met with Elliot, Juliette, and Nathaniel during lunch. The weight of her thoughts pressed heavily on her, and she knew she had to share what they had discovered.
"Guys, we followed Dr. Cross last night," Isabella said, her voice low as they gathered around a table.
Juliette raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What? Why would you do that?"
Elliot jumped in, his expression serious. "We saw him in the wooded area near the school, and it felt off. So, we thought we should check it out."
Isabella pulled out her phone and opened the photo they had taken, showing a blurry image of Dr. Cross standing among the trees. "This is him. We thought he might be hiding something."
Nathaniel leaned closer, squinting at the picture. "Why didn't you tell us you were following him? That could have been dangerous!"
Isabella shrugged, feeling guilty. "We didn't want to worry you. We thought it was nothing at first."
Juliette frowned, her concern evident. "You guys really shouldn't have snuck out like that. What if something had happened?"
"I know," Isabella said, her heart racing. "But we just wanted to see what he was up to."
Elliot nodded, his voice dropping lower. "When we followed him, we saw him moving with this inhuman speed. It was like he just… disappeared and reappeared in a flash. I've never seen anything like it."
Nathaniel's eyes widened. "Did he see you?"
"No," Elliot replied quickly. "But if he had, I don't know what would have happened. It felt dangerous."
Nathaniel looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, "We should have teleported back right away. I was ready to, but we were too focused on watching him."
Isabella's stomach dropped. "What do you think he is?"
Juliette bit her lip, glancing at the photo again. "We need to keep an eye on him. If he's acting suspiciously, it's better to know what's going on."
Isabella nodded in agreement. "We should watch for him tonight."
"Also," Elliot added, leaning closer, "while we were hiding, we overheard him talking to a cloaked figure. They were meeting in the trees, and we heard bits of their conversation."
"What did they say?" Nathaniel asked, leaning forward with interest.
Isabella exchanged a glance with Elliot. "They said, 'They're getting too close,' and then the cloaked figure responded, 'We must act soon.'"
Juliette's eyes widened in disbelief. "That sounds serious. What do you think they meant?"
"I don't know," Isabella said, anxiety creeping in. "But it can't be good. We need to figure out what they're planning."
That night, as she and Juliette studied in their dorm, an alert popped up on their phones. The school had issued a curfew after a student named Rebecca was found in the wooded area near the campus. Juliette gasped, recognizing her from one of her classes.
"She was found with no blood and puncture marks," Juliette said, her voice shaking. "But the school says it's just an animal attack."
Isabella's stomach dropped. She exchanged a shocked glance with Juliette, both of their minds immediately jumping to the same conclusion—Dr. Cross.
The weight of uncertainty pressed down on them, the sense of danger lurking closer than ever before. As they sat together, a bond of fear and determination began to form, urging Isabella to uncover the truth before it was too late.