As time passed, the Cullens were seated around a table in the cafeteria, a tray of untouched food in front of them — food they neither could eat nor wanted to.
"Where is he? Alice, you said he'd come to school today, but the half a day has passed and I haven't even caught a glimpse of him," Rosalie said sharply, her tone anything but gentle.
"Relax, Rosalie. Just… listen to the gossip around you," Alice replied with a knowing smile, tilting her head slightly as she eavesdropped on the conversations buzzing nearby.
"I've already seen him," Edward said calmly. "He was in my biology class. His name is Lucas Brightsun."
"Really?" Rosalie's eyes lit up, a rare smile blooming on her face. "Lucas Brightsun… "she repeated in her mind, savoring the name like a secret she didn't want to share.
Across the cafeteria, the whispers had already spread.
"Hey, hey, did you see the new student?" a girl asked her friend, her voice tinged with excitement.
"Yes! He's so handsome," her friend replied, grinning.
At another table, Bella sat with Jessica, Angela, Eric, and Mike.
"Did you hear? There's a new guy at school. And get this—he's more handsome than the Cullens," Eric announced, sneaking a quick glance at Bella, who was staring absentmindedly at Edward.
"I've seen him," Jessica said, her tone dripping with flirtation. "He's really handsome. And with those earrings? Totally hot."
"Yeah, I saw him too," Angela added dreamily, her mind clearly wandering.
Back at the Cullen table, Rosalie's jaw tightened. She clenched her teeth, muttering under her breath, "Those bitches… I'll kill them." Her voice was low, but the venom in it was unmistakable.
Jasper shifted uncomfortably as her emotions spiked, the jealousy radiating from her like heat. Alice reached over, gently taking his hand to calm him.
"Is he really that handsome?" Lisa asked, reclining lazily in Emmett's arms, her eyes half-lidded as she listened to the gossip to which Edward feels annoyed while looking at Bella, he wants to read her mind.
"We'll see when he shows up, honey," Emmett replied with a smirk.
And then, as if on cue, the cafeteria doors opened. Lucas stepped inside, his expression unreadable, his stride steady. He ignored the stares and whispers as though they didn't exist.
"Rosalie, look! He's here," Alice whispered excitedly, nudging her sister. Heads turned in his direction.
They watched as the boy moved through the cafeteria, a hood shadowing his face, a scarf draped loosely over his forehead.
Rosalie's gaze locked on him — and in that instant, something inside her shifted. Her heart, silent for decades, gave a single, powerful throb. It was as if the world had narrowed to only him. He wasn't just someone interesting… she felt that he is the most important person in her life.
Lucas, mid-step, felt it too — a subtle, almost magnetic tug deep in his chest and soul, unlike anything he'd ever experienced. Following that invisible pull, his eyes met hers.
Amber eyes. Golden-blonde hair. A beauty so stunning it seemed unreal. And in that moment, Lucas knew — she was special. Very, very special.
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