STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS THE TWILIGHT UNIVERSE AND ALL OF THE CHARACTERS.
Bella wasn't sure what all the commotion was about when she arrived at school that morning. The moment she stepped into the school parking lot, she noticed clusters of girls huddled together, their voices bubbling with excitement, their eyes alight with an almost manic energy. It was as if someone had dropped a royal decree in the middle of Forks High, and every teenage girl within a hundred-mile radius had shown up to decipher it.
If she were like any other girl her age, perhaps she'd have been tempted to join in, to lean in close and whisper conspiratorially, eager to learn what all the fuss was about. But she wasn't. Bella could hardly bring herself to care, already assuming they were squealing over something entirely unimportant—like a new lip gloss shade or the latest in a long line of fleeting high school crushes.
Shaking her head, she made her way to her locker, twisting in the combination and shoving in the books she wouldn't need until later. That was when she noticed Angela and Jessica standing nearby, practically vibrating with excitement.
She arched an eyebrow, looking between them suspiciously. "What's up with you guys?"
Jessica grinned, her eyes flashing with barely restrained glee. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"That's why I asked," Bella deadpanned. She gestured vaguely toward the crowd of excitable students. "I was already confused as to why the entire female population of Forks High looks like they just discovered the holy grail of lip gloss. Please tell me you two aren't about to start acting the same way."
Angela looked at her like she had just admitted to living under a rock. "Wait… hasn't anyone told you?"
"Told me what?" Bella asked, curiosity finally beginning to prick at her. It wasn't like Angela to get caught up in drama—so whatever this was, it had to be big.
Jessica all but bounced on her heels, clearly relishing the moment. "There's a new Cullen in town!" she announced with the enthusiasm of someone revealing a long-lost royal heir.
Bella blinked. "What?" The words didn't register for a second. "What, did they adopt another teenager from a state away?"
"Well… no one really knows," Jessica admitted, momentarily deflating before regaining her excitement. "No one's actually gotten to talk to him yet. But he showed up with the Cullens this morning, so everyone just kind of assumed he's related to them somehow. And get this—" she leaned in as if she were about to share a classified secret—"he drove in on his own. In an Aston Martin."
Bella frowned. "And that is…?"
Jessica blinked at her, momentarily at a loss. "Okay, to be honest, I don't really know much about cars," she admitted sheepishly. "But I overheard one of the guys practically worshipping it in the parking lot, so I guess that means it's a big deal."
Angela, who had been watching the exchange with amusement, added, "That's not even the part people are talking about. The girls who actually saw him are saying he's—" she paused, giving Bella a knowing look—"gorgeous."
Bella let out a dry chuckle. "Well, that figures. I guess I forgot how starved people in Forks are for anything remotely new. But I still don't get what the big deal is."
"Not everyone's from a big school in Phoenix," Angela teased.
Bella rolled her eyes but smirked. "Fine, fine, I'll let you two have your fun. Just try not to turn into one of those girls who act like this is the second coming of…" she gestured vaguely, "…whoever it is that makes people act like this."
Jessica grinned but didn't deny the accusation, while Angela simply shook her head with a chuckle.
Before Bella could respond, the sharp ring of the bell echoed through the halls.
"Well, as riveting as this conversation is, I'm going to do the sensible thing and get to class," Bella said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "I hope you two don't plan on running through the hallways shouting about the arrival of the 'New Cullen' like it's gospel."
Angela laughed, but Jessica's expression was a little too thoughtful—like she was actually considering it.
Bella groaned. "I take it back. You're hopeless."
The rest of the day unfolded as uneventfully as any other for Bella, the only exception being the relentless gossip swirling through the halls about the mysterious new student.
The rumors about him bordered on the absurd—everything from whispers that he was some long-lost European nobleman to speculation that he was a delinquent the Cullens had taken in out of charity. Bella had stopped paying attention after the first few periods, mostly because none of it made any sense. She already knew from experience that the Cullens were good people—well-mannered, polite, and for the most part, uninterested in school drama. She doubted they'd suddenly bring in some rebellious runaway or a long-lost prince from another country.
Still, that didn't stop the other girls from losing their collective minds. The halls were thick with not-so-subtle whispers, exaggerated giggles, and half-baked schemes on how they could catch the attention of Forks High's latest heartthrob. Bella couldn't help but be grateful she hadn't been around when the Cullens first arrived. If a single attractive, mysterious guy could cause this much hysteria, she could only imagine the chaos that must have erupted when the four of them first set foot in Forks High.
By the time the lunch bell rang, Bella was more than ready to escape the madness. She packed up her books, slung her bag over her shoulder, and made her way to the cafeteria, where she'd meet up with Angela as usual.
After grabbing their trays, the two scanned the room for their usual table, spotting only a few familiar faces already seated. Bella barely had time to set her tray down before sighing, "Please tell me Jessica didn't actually spend the entire day talking about the new guy."
"For your information," Lauren chimed in before Angela could answer, her nasally voice carrying an unmistakable air of superiority, "she's actually trying to land a date with him."
Bella rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "How surprising." She reached for an apple, biting into it as she lazily glanced over toward the Cullen table.
As expected, most of its usual residents were already seated—except for Alice and, presumably, the elusive new guy.
"I'm starting to think this whole 'new student' rumor is just a complete fabrication," Bella muttered to Angela, lowering her voice to avoid inviting a snide remark from Lauren. "I mean, where even is he?"
Almost as if the universe had heard her, Alice suddenly strolled through the cafeteria doors, practically skipping toward her usual spot beside Jasper. That wasn't surprising.
What was surprising was what happened ten seconds later.
Bella didn't know what compelled her to look back toward the entrance, but when she did, she caught sight of him.
He walked in with an effortless sort of confidence, neither hurried nor hesitant, moving as if he had all the time in the world. Though his face remained out of view, Bella could tell immediately—it was him.
He dressed far more casually than she expected, considering how lavishly the other Cullens always presented themselves. A simple pair of fitted jeans, a gray t-shirt, and black sneakers—nothing about him screamed wealth or extravagance. If anything, he looked like any other teenager.
But there was something about the way he carried himself that made him stand out.
As he moved toward the lunch line, he shifted slightly, finally giving her a glimpse of his profile.
Bella's breath caught in her throat.
He looked just as she remembered, only somehow better. Maybe it was the lack of streetlights distorting her view this time, or maybe it was the subtle changes—his hair, still messy, was now shorter, no longer falling past his ears but still tousled enough to look effortless. She wasn't sure if she preferred it pulled back the way it had been before or left loose like this. Both suited him.
He was also clean-shaven now, which made him appear younger than she had initially guessed. The one thing that hadn't changed was the necklace around his neck, the one that held his mother's ring.
As he walked toward the Cullen table, his posture remained relaxed, his gaze uninterested in the students around him. He gave no indication that he cared about the dozens of eyes tracking his every movement—until, suddenly, his gaze found hers.
For the briefest moment, his lips quirked up at the side, forming a subtle smirk. Then, as he passed by her table, he tilted his head slightly in her direction—just enough to meet her gaze—and winked.
Bella's entire body locked up.
She didn't even realize she had frozen in place until Jessica nudged her shoulder.
"Bella… Earth to Bella!" Jessica mock-shouted.
Bella snapped out of her daze, blinking rapidly as she turned to face her friend. "Yeah?"
"You totally froze on us," Jessica said, giving her a knowing grin.
Angela, on the other hand, looked far too amused. "Oh, she's more than fine," she teased, her smirk unmistakable. "I think everyone saw that little wink Edward threw her way."
Bella felt her face heat up. "W-what?" she stammered. "That was nothing! And—wait—where did my apple go?"
Jessica pointed at the floor. "You dropped it."
"I—what?" Bella looked down, and sure enough, her apple lay abandoned on the ground.
"You were totally in a trance," Jessica continued, barely containing her laughter. "The second you saw him, you dropped it. You were practically drooling."
Bella groaned, covering her face with her hands. This was mortifying.
"I don't get the appeal," Mike spoke up suddenly, his voice carrying a hint of irritation. "I mean, sure, he's… kinda good-looking, I guess, if you're into that. And yeah, he's got a cool car. But he hasn't spoken a word to anyone all day. Except the Cullens."
"He might be shy," Jessica argued, rolling her eyes. "It's not like you had the guts to go up and introduce yourself."
"In Mike's defense," Tyler chimed in, "the guy definitely has an ego. I mean, when Jessica tried to ask him out, he just ignored her and walked right past her."
Jessica's head snapped toward Tyler so fast it was a wonder she didn't get whiplash.
"You weren't supposed to tell anyone that!" she screeched, looking utterly betrayed.
Bella was thankful for Tyler's comment; it took the attention away from herself and the mortification of her being caught gawking at the new guy after her claims of not caring about him.
Edward, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying the chaos his presence in Forks had caused.
"What are you grinning about?" Emmett asked, his voice laced with curiosity as he peeled a banana. He barely had a chance to take a bite before grimacing in disgust. "Ugh, this thing is rotten."
"Then stop eating it," Jasper drawled, exasperation flickering across his otherwise calm expression.
"But eating is fun," Emmett countered, shrugging nonchalantly before taking another defiant bite, his features twisting even more in distaste.
Edward rolled his eyes, absently toying with the apple on his tray. "I'll never understand this ridiculous obsession with appearing human. None of you enjoy it—so why bother? You're just going through the motions for show." He glanced pointedly at Emmett. "There's no actual benefit to choking down rotten fruit. The real sustenance, the only thing that actually matters, is blood." His lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Since, in case you all forgot—we're vampires."
Rosalie's sharp laugh cut through the chatter at the table, though it held no warmth. "Not all of us need to slaughter humans just to get a thrill out of our miserable existence," she said sweetly, her eyes flashing with thinly veiled disdain.
Edward arched an eyebrow. "And yet you still suck the blood out of woodland creatures, despite your well-documented distaste for anything that walks on four legs. I'd argue that drinking animal blood only makes you crave human food more. Honestly, I think I'd prefer eating that banana over chewing on some poor bunny."
Jasper, who had been silent up until now, let out a quiet but firm sigh. "Enough," he said, voice low and edged with authority. "We don't need you two at each other's throats in the middle of a damn school cafeteria."
"Fine by me," Edward said casually, lifting the apple once more and inspecting it with feigned interest.
"You still haven't answered Emmett's question, though," Alice piped up, her voice light, though her eyes gleamed with mischief. "What's with the smirk? Because I highly doubt it's about that apple."
Edward finally tore his gaze away from the fruit, smirking fully this time. "Just listening in on all the fascinating theories about my arrival," he admitted, the amusement in his voice evident. "Did you know that, apparently, I'm a European prince being hidden away in Forks because my father fears an assassination attempt on my life?"
Emmett nearly choked on his bite of banana. "No way. That's amazing." He shook his head, looking genuinely impressed. "Man, your rumors are so much cooler than ours were. When we got here, people were so hung up on us dating each other that they didn't even bother getting creative."
Edward chuckled at the dejected look on Emmett's face, as if he truly regretted missing out on a more entertaining fabricated backstory.
Alice, however, wasn't so easily distracted. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm as her lips curled into a knowing grin. "So… what percentage of that smile is because of Bella?"
Edward didn't immediately respond. Instead, he simply smirked, his fingers idly rolling the apple back and forth between them. "Well, she's certainly a factor…"
Rosalie let out a sharp scoff, the sound filled with pure disdain. "Are we really just going to pretend this is okay?" she hissed, her golden eyes narrowing into a glare. "He can't get involved with a human. She has a future—one that doesn't include him."
"Oh, because Mike Newton is just so capable of offering her the life she truly wants," Edward shot back, placing the apple down on his tray with a soft thud. His gaze met Rosalie's head-on, sharp and unyielding. "I understand that you don't like me—"
"I detest you," Rosalie corrected icily.
Edward smirked. "However you want to phrase it," he said smoothly before continuing, "but even with all your loathing, you shouldn't make baseless assumptions. I would never hurt Bella."
Rosalie let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, you wouldn't hurt her?" she repeated, her voice dripping with venom. "The best possible outcome for you is her wanting to change. And you know exactly what that entails, don't you, Edward? You killing her."
"Babe, relax," Emmett murmured, placing a steadying hand on Rosalie's shoulder. "Come on, let's get some fresh air before you decide to rip his head off."
Rosalie held her glare a moment longer before finally allowing Emmett to guide her out of the cafeteria.
Alice sighed, leaning her head against Jasper's shoulder. "Well, that went about as well as it could have."
"In my defense, she started it," Edward pointed out, reclining slightly in his seat.
"What are you, five?" Jasper asked dryly.
Edward smirked again. "I'm just trying to match Rosalie's maturity level."
"That," Alice chuckled, "might be the problem."
Before anyone could say anything else, the shrill ringing of the bell signaled the end of lunch.
Jasper nudged Edward as he stood. "Come on, Romeo, get to class."
Edward merely laughed at the teasing, grabbing his tray and dumping the untouched food before following the others out of the cafeteria. His morning schedule had kept him and Bella apart, but with a little… persuasion, he had made sure their last few classes of the day would be a different story.
He had waited long enough.