"Nothing's wrong with him," Bella protested as she stepped into the Cullens' house. She knew they could all hear her the moment she entered, but she didn't care.
"You don't understand," Edward sighed, striding deeper into the house toward the stairs.
Bella's frustration spiked as she followed him. He was actually trying to walk away from her.
"What don't I understand? That Ash could be a vampire? Because I reached that conclusion myself," she bit out, voice taut with irritation.
"Who could be a vampire?" a calm voice inquired.
Carlisle rounded the corner, his expression patient but inquisitive.
"The new student," Alice said, descending the stairs with her usual ethereal grace. Her golden eyes met Bella's, and she offered a warm smile. "Hello, Bella."
Bella swallowed and forced a polite smile in return.
"Alice, have you seen this new student in any of your visions?" Carlisle asked, his voice measured.
Alice shook her head, her expression subtly troubled. "No. And that's what's strange. I should have. He's getting close to Edward and Bella, and I can see their futures clearly, but I can't see him at all."
Carlisle's lips pressed into a thin line, though the gentle curve of his mouth remained. "That is unusual. What color are his eyes?"
"Dark," Edward answered immediately, his tone serious. "Really dark."
"They're just blue," Bella muttered, defensive for reasons she couldn't quite place.
Edward's jaw tightened. "He could be part of the coven that attacked you," he insisted. "We need to investigate him."
Carlisle's brows lifted slightly. "Can you not smell his blood? Hear his heartbeat? His thoughts?"
Edward hesitated. "I can't hear his thoughts. I haven't been able to pick out his heartbeat from the crowd yet. And his blood..." He trailed off, casting a cautious glance at Bella.
"It doesn't matter," he finished, but the lie was obvious.
Carlisle studied him, clearly unconvinced. "Why don't we discuss this later, when Bella has gone home? This isn't her burden to bear."
Bella bristled at being excluded so easily. "He doesn't feel like the rest of you do," she said firmly. "And his skin… it doesn't feel like yours. He was warm."
Edward stiffened. "He touched you?" His voice was suddenly breathless, outrage barely concealed.
"He caught me when I fell," she mumbled.
Edward clenched his teeth.
"Isn't that good news?" Carlisle asked, his expression unreadable. "He's human. No vampire is warm."
Edward still looked unconvinced. "He could be something else."
"You're suggesting he's a werewolf?"
Edward didn't answer, but Alice did. "He could be," she murmured, her gaze distant. "His mental shield is consistent with shifters and werewolves."
Carlisle thought for a moment. "I'm old enough to tell what he is if I get close to him. If that will ease your worries, Edward, then find an excuse for him to meet me."
"I'm not bringing him to the house," Edward snapped.
"Then find another way," Carlisle said smoothly. "Just ensure I get the opportunity to see him up close."
Bella thought for a moment. "He's already injured," she recalled. "His whole neck and hands were covered in bandages. If you run into him, you'll have your chance to examine him."
Carlisle's expression darkened slightly. "That concerns me. How did he acquire those injuries?"
"He said it was a wild animal," Bella supplied, though even she wasn't convinced that was the full truth.
Edward exhaled sharply. "What kind of normal teenager fights wild animals?"
Carlisle remained deep in thought, but finally nodded. "I'll look into it."
---
Friday Morning – The Arrival
Bella pulled into the parking lot just in time to witness Forks High School's latest spectacle—Ash Nightsun's motorcycle.
Physics dictated that anyone attractive became even more so when paired with a leather jacket and a motorcycle helmet. Ash was no exception.
The resentment from Forks' male population had lessened, replaced with a begrudging kind of awe. Some had even started to see him as "cool," but there were still a few who shot him glares as he laughed with the cheerleaders who had claimed him at lunch.
Bella tried to avoid attention, slipping out of her truck and heading straight for her first class. She had nearly made it to the school doors when—
"Bella!"
She cringed. So close.
Turning, she found Ash jogging toward her, his helmet tucked under his arm. His bright smile was disarming.
"I was hoping to ask you about yesterday," he said easily.
"Oh," she replied, unsure of where this was going. "Sorry about Edward, he's... well, he's not great with new people."
Ash chuckled—a smooth, melodic sound. Bella had to admit, he had a pretty laugh. She found herself wondering if he took after his mother. There was something about him that felt… feminine in an unexplainable way, despite his undeniably masculine features.
"I could tell," Ash said, amused. "I just wanted to make sure you two didn't fight because of me. I can leave him alone if he doesn't wanna be friends. I just figured my seatmate was my best bet."
Bella blinked. She didn't understand his logic. Then again, she had never been particularly focused on making friends in Forks. Maybe this was normal?
"Uh, yeah..." she mumbled awkwardly, suddenly worried she was walking into another Eric-and-Mike situation. "Maybe you two just don't get along."
"You can say that again." Ash grinned, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Alright, I'll leave the drama king alone. See you around, Bella."
"Yeah. You too."
He strolled off, leaving Bella to watch him go.
---
Edward's Growing Suspicion
Edward had dreaded his history class with Ash, but to his surprise, the boy barely acknowledged him. No excited chatter, no forced conversation—just a small, polite smile before turning his attention to the class.
Edward should have been relieved. Instead, he felt uneasy.
Silence was worse. Silence meant unpredictability.
Still, Edward observed him closely, honing his senses on Ash as the lecture continued. But frustratingly, the boy did nothing unusual. He participated, took notes, answered questions—just another student.
Edward's teeth ground together. Was he overthinking this?
---
Lunch – A Family Discussion
"He certainly has the looks of a vampire," Rosalie commented, eyes flicking toward Ash from across the cafeteria.
Bella had to agree.
"His eyes are dark enough to suggest thirst," Emmett added thoughtfully.
"I'm not so sure," Alice mused, a knowing glint in her gaze. "I think other supernatural descriptions fit him better."
A slow, mischievous smile crept across her face.
Edward scowled. "We need Carlisle to examine him. Or Esme."
The others nodded, murmuring their agreement.
And across the cafeteria, oblivious to their scrutiny, Ash Nightsun laughed—unaware of just how much attention he had truly captured.
---
Somehow, Against All Odds, I Am Still Alive.
So... yay? Small victories, people.
Honestly, I feel like most of this chapter could be summed up in one word: boundaries.
Edward is setting a firm one with Bella right from the start, Carlisle follows suit with his own, Bella draws one with Ash Nightsun, and then Edward—our reigning champion of unnecessary drama—throws another one down for good measure. It's like a boundary-off, except instead of being normal about it, everyone is tense and vaguely passive-aggressive.
But, despite all that, I did not name this chapter "Boundaries." Why? Because I didn't. Do not question my methods. I have no explanations. My writing process exists somewhere between divine inspiration and complete chaos.
Side note: I'm about 90% sure I'm possessed while writing this. Like, I sit down at my keyboard, black out for a couple of hours, and suddenly there's a new chapter staring back at me. Is it good? Who knows! Am I sleep-deprived? Absolutely. But that's just the experience, folks.
Anyway, the next chapter is going to be wild, so stay tuned! Things are about to get even more interesting (or completely off the rails—I make no promises).❤️❤️