Edward Cullen🩸🦷||~> TWILIGHT

The cafeteria is louder than you expected. Forks High seems to have its own rhythm already—the scrape of chairs against the floor, the constant murmur of conversations, the clatter of trays, and the rain tapping steadily against the windows. You sit across from Jessica, trying to take in everything she tells you about the school while occasionally glancing around at all the unfamiliar faces.

Jessica is halfway through explaining which teachers are the strictest when the cafeteria doors open.

A group of five students walks in together.

You notice them immediately.

They're not simply attractive. They stand out in a way that makes the rest of the cafeteria seem ordinary. Their skin is unusually pale, their features almost impossibly perfect, and there's something strangely graceful about the way they move together. They don't seem bothered by the noise around them, barely acknowledging anyone as they cross the room.

Jessica notices where you're looking and follows your gaze.

"Those are the Cullens," she tells you.

You look back at her with mild curiosity. "The Cullens?"

"Yeah. That's their whole family."

Jessica watches them as they walk toward their usual table, then starts introducing them one by one. "The blonde one is Rosalie. She's with Emmett—the huge guy next to her. Rosalie is probably the most beautiful girl in school, and she definitely knows it."

Your eyes move toward the pair. Rosalie is tall and striking, walking with a confidence that makes it seem like she owns the entire room. Beside her, Emmett is noticeably bigger than everyone else, broad-shouldered and intimidating until you catch the faintly amused expression on his face.

Jessica points toward the smaller girl with short, dark hair. "That's Alice. She's really nice. She's probably the friendliest one of them all."

Alice looks almost completely different from Rosalie. She's smaller, lighter on her feet, and seems to have an energy about her even while she's doing nothing more than walking.

"And that's Jasper," Jessica adds, indicating the blond boy beside Alice. "He's... quiet. Really quiet."

You watch Jasper for a moment. His expression is more serious than the others, and he seems almost unnaturally controlled.

Then Jessica's gaze shifts to the last person entering the cafeteria.

Her voice changes slightly.

"And that's Edward."

You follow her eyes.

Edward Cullen walks in behind the others.

For a moment, you forget about everything else.

He's beautiful.

There's no getting around it. His bronze hair is slightly messy, his skin almost marble-pale beneath the fluorescent lights, and his features are so sharp and symmetrical that he doesn't quite look real. Even the way he walks seems effortless.

Jessica catches your expression and smiles.

"Yeah," she says knowingly. "He's beautiful. Obviously."

You look at her. "Obviously?"

Jessica laughs quietly. "Everyone thinks so. But apparently nobody is good enough for him."

Your eyes return to Edward.

He doesn't seem interested in anyone around him. He walks toward the Cullen table with the same distant expression as the rest of his family, completely detached from the noise surrounding him.

Then, suddenly, he looks up.

His eyes meet yours.

Everything seems to stop for a moment.

Edward's expression changes almost instantly.

His golden eyes widen slightly, and his entire body seems to tense. There's something strange in his face—something you can't quite identify. It's not simple curiosity. If anything, he looks startled by you.

You don't look away.

Neither does he.

His gaze moves over your face for a second, as though he's trying to understand something. His jaw tightens. The muscles in his cheek shift.

Then his expression becomes guarded.

Cold.

Edward looks away.

You continue watching him as he takes his seat with the rest of the Cullens.

Jessica glances between you and him.

"Okay," she says quietly, "that was weird."

You look at her. "What?"

"The way he looked at you."

Before you can answer, the bell rings.

The cafeteria erupts into movement as everyone starts gathering their things. You pick up your bag and follow the crowd into the hallway, leaving the strange encounter behind—or at least trying to.

---

Biology is your next class.

You enter the laboratory and look around for an empty seat.

Then you see him.

Edward is already sitting at one of the tables.

The only empty seat is beside him.

You hesitate for half a second before walking over and taking it.

Edward doesn't look at you.

Not once.

The difference between the boy in the cafeteria and the person sitting beside you now is almost unsettling. His posture is perfectly rigid, his hands resting on the table, his face completely unreadable. He seems determined to focus on anything except you.

You quietly take out your notebook.

The teacher begins the lesson.

For several minutes, nothing happens.

You keep your attention on the front of the classroom, occasionally writing something down. Edward remains completely still beside you.

Then a faint breeze moves through the open window.

Edward reacts.

It's immediate.

His entire body stiffens.

His hand rises sharply toward his face, covering his nose and mouth as his shoulders pull inward. His fingers grip the edge of the table.

You glance toward him.

Edward isn't looking at you.

His eyes are fixed somewhere ahead, but his expression has completely changed. His jaw is clenched, his breathing controlled, and every muscle in his body seems tense.

Then, slowly, his eyes shift toward you.

They're black.

The warm golden color from the cafeteria is gone.

His eyes remain fixed on you, and for the first time, you see something genuinely frightening in his expression.

Hunger.

His fingers tighten against the table.

You don't move.

Neither does he.

For a few seconds, Edward simply stares at you, his face caught between something almost predatory and an incredible amount of restraint. His expression seems to harden as he fights whatever instinct has suddenly taken over.

Then he looks away.

His chair scrapes sharply against the floor.

Edward stands.

The sudden movement draws a few confused glances from nearby students, but he doesn't acknowledge them. He gathers his things with stiff, controlled movements and keeps his face turned away from you.

He doesn't say a word.

He doesn't look at you again.

He simply walks out of the biology lab.

The door closes behind him.

You remain sitting there, staring at the empty chair beside you.

Only a few minutes ago, Edward Cullen had been sitting in the cafeteria looking impossibly beautiful and distant.

Now he has fled the classroom as though being near you was something he couldn't survive.

And you have absolutely no idea why.