The cafeteria was active as usual, filled with its murmurs.
The slap of paper bags and the hum of gossip moved through the school as Bella sat down with her lunch.
Across from her, Angela already had that look—like she'd been holding something back all morning and couldn't anymore.
"Okay," Angela said, unwrapping her sandwich. "Let's continue our beautiful conversation."
Bella sighed. "About the algebra homework?"
Angela replied, "About Sasuke~"
Beside her, Jessica Stanley leaned in like she'd been summoned by a djinn. "Yes, that Sasuke. The one from this morning."
Bella said, "You guys are still on that? He's just a boy who's attractive…"
"So what? And 'still on that'? Word spreads fast in school, especially if it's hot."
Mike Newton slid into the seat beside Bella, looking vaguely irritated. "People are saying he's a new foreign exchange student."
"He's not," Bella said flatly.
"Then who is he?" Jessica asked, biting into a carrot stick dramatically.
Bella thought for a second and said, "A friend… of a friend. Sort of."
Angela leaned forward. "You don't really know him, do you?"
Bella opened her juice box with more force than necessary. "I've met him twice. Three times, if you count this morning."
"So you let a stranger walk you to school?" Mike asked, frowning.
"He's not a stranger. My dad knows him. Kind of."
Jessica gave her a suspicious look. "And he wears combat boots, a black hoodie, doesn't talk often—and seriously, Bella, if this is one of those mysterious protector things from a novel, you need to warn us. Is he dangerous? Is this a bad boy phase?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "He's not dangerous."
"That's what the girl says right before she falls for the mysterious boy and ruins her life," Jessica muttered.
"I think he's cool," Eric chimed in from the end of the table. "Like, his hair? It's badass. In a way."
Bella pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well… Sasuke's not here to make friends. He's just… around. For now."
Jessica grinned. "But will he be around forever~?"
"Bruh," Bella groaned.
Angela tilted her head. "He doesn't seem like the school type either—unless it benefits him, though. What does he even do?"
"Whatever John tells him to, I bet," Bella said before thinking.
Jessica, intrigued: "John? That guy you mentioned before? The one your dad knows?"
Bella hesitated. She'd said too much—unnecessarily.
Angela, perceptive as usual… (maybe), picked up on it. "Bella, who are these people?"
"Emos," Bella said without thinking, as her eyes drifted toward the far side of the cafeteria.
Edward Cullen sat at the end of the long table in the far corner of the cafeteria, idly spinning an unopened water bottle. Surrounding him were the other Cullens.
Rosalie sat across from him, not touching her food, while Emmett slouched beside her, cracking his knuckles absentmindedly with the expression of someone who either wanted a fight or a joke.
Alice was perched lightly beside Edward, her fingers wrapped around a soda can like it was a teacup. Jasper sat closest to the wall.
None of them ate.
None of them looked at anyone—except Edward, whose eyes flicked to Bella the moment she stood up.
"I have to… yeah, I'll be back," Bella said, her voice already distant.
She stopped beside the table where the Cullens sat.
Edward looked up. He didn't smile, but there was something softer in his expression than usual. "Bella."
Rosalie's eyes flicked up, cool and appraising, as Alice gave a warm little smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Emmett just raised an eyebrow. Jasper didn't move at all.
"Well… nice to meet you all. I didn't realize you had company today," Bella said, gesturing vaguely at the group.
Edward just nodded, gesturing to the open seat beside him. "We are at the cafeteria often. I'm surprised you didn't notice. But they're not so bad… sometimes."
"Excuse me," Rosalie muttered under her breath. Her voice was sharp but calm.
Bella hesitated for a moment, then sat. Silence fell across the table as Rosalie stared at her with open skepticism and Alice offered another comforting, polite smile.
"So…" Bella said awkwardly. "You all just don't eat at lunch, huh?"
Emmett grinned. "We're on a very specific cleanse."
"Emmett," Edward deadpanned under his breath.
"What?" Emmett shrugged. "She asked."
Alice leaned forward slightly. "Bella, I'm Alice. And it's finally nice to meet you. I'm a non-Edward-staring-from-across-the-room situation."
Edward rolled his eyes, but Bella laughed lightly. "Thanks. It's… nice to meet you too."
Rosalie scoffed. "She doesn't even know what she's meeting."
Edward's voice was stern and calm. "Rosalie."
"I'm just being honest."
Bella turned to Rosalie. "You don't like me."
Rosalie raised one perfect eyebrow. "It's not about liking. It's about risk."
Jasper finally spoke, his voice quieter than expected. "She's already in it, Rosalie. That ship sailed."
Bella looked at Edward. "Are we really doing this? Talking about me like I'm not here?"
"You're here," Rosalie said. "That's the problem."
Edward's hand tensed around the bottle. "You don't have to like her, Rosalie. But you will respect her."
Bella felt something pass between them. Alice reached out gently, brushing Edward's arm with her fingertips.
"She's not going to break," Alice said softly, with a knowing smile. "And she's not running away either."
Rosalie narrowed her eyes. "She should."
Bella straightened. "Maybe. But I'm not."
"You don't scare easily," Emmett said, with something like approval.
Bella looked at him. "You probably do."
Emmett barked a laugh. "You're not wrong."
"Enough, okay?" Edward said suddenly. "This isn't an interrogation."
Rosalie stood in one graceful motion. "Maybe it should be."
Jasper rose next, as if tethered to her. Alice followed with a sigh.
"Sorry, Bella," she said quietly. "Some of us are just slow to adapt."
"I get it," Bella replied, even though she really didn't.
The Cullens left the table one by one, trailing elegant silence. Only Edward remained.
Bella watched them go. "I'm guessing that wasn't the warmest welcome," she said softly.
Edward looked at her, guilt creeping behind his eyes. "They're not used to this."
"To me?"
"To anyone who knows what we are… and chooses to stay."
Bella exhaled softly. "They think I'm going to ruin things for you."
"It was my decision. And I don't regret it."
She glanced at the bottle he was still spinning. "You didn't eat again."
"I'm not hungry."
She gave a dry smile. "Somehow, I'm starting to believe that."
Edward stood, and she stood with him.
"I'll walk you back," he said.
"You don't have to."
"I want to."
As they walked back toward her usual table, the cafeteria seemed even louder than before.
She rejoined Angela and Jessica with a slightly dazed look on her face, and Edward gave her an unreadable, brief glance as he vanished into the halls.
Jessica leaned in instantly. "What did he say to you?"
Angela looked more concerned. "You sat at the Cullen table."
"Yeah," Bella said slowly. "I think I survived it."
"But how? Rosalie Cullen is moody and hates everyone."
"She tolerates her mirror," Jessica muttered.
Bella smiled faintly. "I guess I'm the exception."
Angela said bluntly, jokingly, "Or the anomaly."
Bella didn't reply as the cafeteria period ended and she walked to history class. She barely heard a word of the lecture. Mr. Jefferson's voice might as well have been static. Her notes were mostly badly written, but sometimes good.
When the bell rang, she didn't wait.
Edward was already waiting outside the door.
He didn't say anything—just gave her that deadpan look and began walking beside her, effortlessly syncing to her pace like he always did.
The hallway had thinned out now, students peeling off toward the buses or their cars. Bella adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
"So…" she said after a moment, "lunch was… fun."
Edward gave a humorless smile. "You didn't run screaming. That counts for something."
"I considered it," Bella replied dryly. "But that would've given Rosalie too much satisfaction."
"She's protective of all of us," he said, "but especially of the life we've built."
"You mean the life where you pretend to be normal teenagers who never eat and have secret telepathic conversations?"
He looked at her sideways. "You noticed that?"
"I'm observant. Eventually."
They stepped out into the misty afternoon. Forks' sky was deep gray as always, but the air was clean, which was good.
Edward paused beside her near the edge of the parking lot. "I shouldn't have let you sit with us."
Bella blurted out, "Okay, rude."
"I mean… for your sake. Not mine."
She turned toward him, arms crossed. "You don't get to decide that, do you?"
His expression was suddenly serious. "You don't know what kind of attention you're drawing."
"I didn't ask for attention," she shot back.
"No, but you walked toward it anyway."
She stared at him. "You told me I could walk away, and I didn't. And now you're treating me like a risk you didn't authorize."
His jaw clenched. "That's not what I'm doing."
"Then what are you doing, Edward?"
A long pause.
He finally said, "I'm trying not to want you here."
That annoyed her more than any silence could.
Her voice, when it came, was small but steady. "And failing?"
He didn't answer.
They stood like that for a long moment. The air between them was cold—but, of course, not distant.
"I'm walking home," she said eventually. "You can keep brooding or walk with me."
He looked startled for a moment, then without a word, fell into step beside her as they left the lot.
It wasn't until they reached the end of the school sidewalk that Bella noticed a dark figure standing just past the crossing sign.
Black hoodie, combat boots, and arms crossed like a statue carved in Rome.
Sasuke.
Bella raised an eyebrow. "He's still here?"
Edward stopped. "He said he would be."
"Yeah, but I didn't think he meant literally all day."
Sasuke's eyes flicked over them as they approached—unreadable as ever. Edward, for once, looked vaguely amused and annoyed as he kept trying to read his mind but wasn't succeeding.
"You don't have to walk me now," Bella called. "Edward's here."
"I said I would," Sasuke replied coolly. "I don't recall any amendments—even if you have here your boyfriend."
"Yeah, yeah, a boyfriend," said Bella dryly, as Edward looked at the sky and muttered, "Loyalty or stubbornness?"
"Yes," replied Sasuke.
Bella sighed, throwing her hands up a little. "This is ridiculous. I don't need two emotionally blocked guys flanking me down the street."
"I can walk behind you," Sasuke offered.
"Not the part I was objecting to," she muttered.
Edward watched Sasuke for a long moment. "You're not what you appear."
"Neither are you," Sasuke said simply.
The two stared at each other long enough for Bella to consider faking a nosebleed just to break the tension.
"Okay," she said, cutting through them. "I'm walking. Either follow or don't, but no brooding standoffs on public sidewalks."
To her surprise, both of them moved. Sasuke fell into step on her left while Edward walked on her right.
She stared straight ahead. "This is the weirdest escort I've ever had."
"Get used to it," Edward said under his breath.
"Don't encourage her," Sasuke added.
They walked in silence. Bella glanced between them. "You two aren't going to fight, are you?"
"Not today," Edward replied.
"Not for her," Sasuke added.
Bella raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"You're not the reason," Sasuke clarified.
"That was not the best phrasing," Edward murmured.
"I don't do phrasing," Sasuke said.
Bella shook her head. "Are you two secretly friends?"
They both answered in unison: "No."
That somehow made it worse.
Finally, as they turned onto her block, Edward gave a soft sigh and slowed.
"This is where I leave," he said. "You'll be safe."
Bella looked at him. "Because Sasuke is here?"
"Yes," Edward said after a moment, "and because I trust him. After all… you are from that clan. Even if I don't understand him."
Madara's shadow clone—as Sasuke—did not react. He just curtly nodded. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Bella paused, watching Edward. "Clan? Well. Will I see you later?"
Edward hesitated. "If you want to."
She stepped closer. "I do."
His eyes held hers for a moment, and then he nodded once and disappeared into the distance.
Bella turned toward Sasuke.
"Is he always that… dramatic?"
"Are you asking me? But from my observation, yes," said Sasuke flatly. "You're not?"
Bella snorted. "Only on weekends."
They began the final walk to her front steps.
"So," she said finally, "why are you really doing this?"
"I told you," he said. "Because I want to."
"You don't seem like the volunteering type."
"I'm not. But John asked."
"And John is…"
"Not someone I ignore."
Bella studied him. "You're different from everyone here."
"Depends in what way. And you're not like them either."
She looked down at her feet. "That's not always a compliment."
Sasuke glanced at her, then looked ahead again. "No. But sometimes it's a warning."
They reached her porch, and Bella put a hand on the railing.
"Are you going to wait here tomorrow too?…" she hesitated,and continued, "You know… you should not be like John. Closed off. I noticed he is more open to us—but you can be too. It's like you're here temporarily… not wanting to let people get attached to you. Not out of fear of losing them… but fear of them getting attached to you. Like one day you'll disappear."
Sasuke just stared at her—or the Shadow Clone of Madara, in the appearance of Sasuke. "Unexpected," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Never mind," he said.
"You could come inside, you know?"
Sasuke turned his eyes toward her.
"I mean… do you really want to stand out here all night like a hawk on surveillance? Or you'll go home… to John's place, I assume?"
He didn't respond.
"Charlie won't mind if you stay overnight," she added more softly now. "He'd like to know you too. More than just the guy who walks his daughter to school and says three words per hour."
Her attempt at humor was met with a response.
"Very well. Do you have a guest room?" he said bluntly.
"Oh…" Bella said, surprised. That wasn't the response she expected. No scoffing, or "I don't sleep," no mysterious brush-off.
"Uh… yeah," she said, recovering quickly. "Technically, it's a room with a bed, a lamp, and probably a few spiderwebs. So… yes."
Sasuke gave a slow nod like he was cataloging the information. "Acceptable."
She huffed a breath, half a laugh. "Wow. You really know how to sell gratitude."
"Would you prefer a dramatic bow?" he asked, with something almost resembling dry sarcasm.
Bella smirked, narrowing her eyes at him. "I'd prefer a basic thank you, but I guess that's pushing it."
Madara, making no big deal of words, replied, "Thank you."
It was flat—but, she guessed, genuine—and it made her smile.
Before she could reply, she heard the sound of tires crunching on gravel—Charlie's cruiser pulling into the driveway.
She glanced toward the window, then back at Sasuke. "Okay, that's my dad—Charlie. Just… don't be as weird as John."
"I'm always weird, according to you."
"True," Bella said, heading toward the door. "But let's tone it down."
She opened the front door just as Charlie was grabbing his duffel bag from the backseat. He looked up and saw her standing there.
"Hey, Bells," he called, walking up the steps. "You get dinner yet?"
"Not yet. We have leftovers though. And, uh… guest."
Charlie gave her a curious look. "Guest?"
She stepped back so Sasuke was visible in the hallway. The porch light caught the edge of his face and the stillness of his posture that wasn't nervous—just… precise.
Charlie paused and chuckled. "Oh. You're from John, right? Sasuke, was it? Nice to meet you personally today."
"Yes," Sasuke said.
He chuckled again as Charlie tilted his head, taking in the black hoodie and the calm but unreadable expression. "Right. Another person like John."
What he meant by that was that his personality was similar—or identical—to John. But not like it's not even John… or Madara to begin with.
"Well, Sasuke, you staying over tonight?"
"Correct," Sasuke said formally.
Charlie scratched the back of his neck. "Sure. I guess it's better than you lurking around like some demon."
Bella tried not to laugh. Sasuke did not find it funny at all—but just nodded.
Charlie stepped inside and dropped his bag. "You want something to eat?"
"No, thank you."
Charlie looked at Bella. "He always like this?"
"Pretty much. Why, you surprised?" she said.
Charlie shrugged. "True… Alright, well, if he's sleeping here, make sure he knows where the guest room is. It's not a palace, but the mattress isn't bad."
"He'll survive," Bella teased.
As Charlie disappeared into the kitchen with a yawn, Bella turned to Sasuke. "Come on. I'll show you."
She led him upstairs to the small guest room at the end of the hall. It was plain but comfy, with a bed, dresser, and lamp. The window had a view of the woods out back.
"It's not fancy, but it's quiet. And no one's used it in a while, so… the ghost should be friendly."
Sasuke stepped inside and glanced around without comment, then casually sat on the bed, testing it.
She watched him for a moment, then crossed her arms.
"You're really staying," she said, like the reality had just caught up with her.
He looked at her, eyes still calm. "I said I would."
Bella nodded. "Yeah. It's just… I don't know. I thought you'd change your mind and vanish into mist or something."
"Only when necessary."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright. Well, if you need anything—extra blanket, glass of water, or haunted mirror—you know where I am."
"I don't need anything."
"Figures."
She lingered in the doorway, wanting to say something—but decided against it.
"Night, Sasuke," she said, and closed the door to his room.