Chapter 112: Two Edwards, One Prey, One Hunter
Life after transferring to Forks High School was as monotonous as the endless rain—constant and dreary. For Edward, living among ordinary teenagers felt more like a temporary vacation.
Every day, he showed up to class on time, occasionally answering questions with insights that left even the teachers impressed and the other students amazed.
Then he'd slouch at his desk and secretly use telekinesis to levitate the pen belonging to the girl sitting in front of him, watching her search frantically for it.
Over the past few days, he and Bella had naturally become friends.
Maybe it was the shared experience of being new students, or maybe Edward's laid-back yet reserved demeanor gave the socially awkward Bella a sense of comfort.
At lunch, the noisy cafeteria was filled with the mingled smells of various foods and the chatter of students.
Edward grabbed his tray and joined Bella at a window seat.
"Seriously, Edward," Bella said, picking at her salad, finally giving in to her curiosity. "That introduction you gave on the first day... were you being serious?"
"Which part?" Edward asked through a mouthful of hamburger.
"The... the part about hunting vampires and werewolves." Bella's voice dropped to almost a whisper, as if sharing some great secret. "I know it was a joke, but it just seemed... kind of dark."
Edward swallowed, took a swig of Coke, then slowly wiped his mouth.
He looked at Bella's innocent, confused brown eyes and found it amusing.
"What if I told you I wasn't joking?" He leaned forward slightly, his voice quiet but perfectly clear to her ears. "What if I told you those things are real, and I'm the guy who deals with them?"
Bella paused, then shrugged with a "yeah, right" expression. "Okay, if you don't want to explain, that's cool. But next time, maybe try a different joke—like your hobby is collecting Bigfoot sightings or something."
Edward smiled, letting the topic drop.
Just then, the cafeteria entrance went quiet for a moment, and a subtle ripple of whispers began spreading.
Five figures walked in.
They looked like they'd stepped out of a fashion magazine, completely out of place among the students in cheap hoodies and worn jeans around them.
Their skin was pale, their features impossibly perfect, and they moved with an otherworldly grace.
They never interacted with anyone, existing in their own bubble, walking directly to their usual table in the corner of the cafeteria.
"Oh my God, there they are," Jessica, a girl at the next table, whispered in a voice mixing envy and awe. "That's the Cullen family."
Bella's attention shifted to them, watching curiously.
"The blonde is Rosalie Hale, and that big guy with her is Emmett Cullen," Jessica explained like a tour guide. "The tiny, pixie-looking girl is Alice Cullen, and the one next to her who always looks uncomfortable is Jasper Hale. They're all Dr. Cullen's foster kids."
Her voice paused as her gaze fell on the last person to enter.
A young man with bronze-colored hair, handsome but radiating an aloofness that kept everyone at arm's length.
"That's Edward Cullen," Jessica finished. "He's gorgeous, but he doesn't date anyone. Don't even bother—no one here is good enough for him."
Bella's eyes involuntarily landed on the young man who shared Edward's name.
As if sensing her stare, Edward Cullen suddenly looked up, his golden eyes locking onto hers.
His gaze was intense and penetrating, as if it could see right through her, making Bella immediately uncomfortable. She instinctively looked away.
But Edward Cullen's gaze didn't shift—it stayed fixed on Bella, his handsome face showing extreme confusion and concentration.
Edward Connor, sitting across from Bella, caught all of it.
He could clearly sense the psychic energy radiating from the vampire as he futilely tried to "read" Bella's thoughts and came up empty.
Then that mental probe swept tentatively toward him.
A cold smirk crossed Edward Connor's face.
"Eavesdropping's not cool, Mr. Cullen."
A clear, steady voice, laced with amusement, appeared in Edward Cullen's mind without warning.
Edward Cullen, who'd been frowning, suddenly went rigid, as if struck by lightning.
The confusion on his face was instantly replaced by shock, and his golden eyes widened.
He frantically scanned the room, trying to locate the source of the voice, but the surrounding students were all absorbed in their own conversations, nothing out of the ordinary.
His family noticed his strange behavior. "Edward, what's wrong?" Alice asked with concern.
Edward Cullen didn't answer. His gaze swept across the crowd before settling firmly on the young man sitting across from Bella.
Edward Connor was holding his Coke, raising it toward him in a mock toast, his face forming a silent "hello," his smile playful and challenging.
In that moment, Edward Cullen understood.
He wasn't the only one with abilities in this world.
And this new transfer student's powers were far stranger and stronger than he'd ever imagined...
During afternoon biology class, the air was thick with the smell of formaldehyde and chalk dust.
Bella clutched her textbook, nervously approaching the only empty seat left in the back row.
Her lab partner was Edward Cullen, who'd made her incredibly uncomfortable at lunch.
The vampire sat rigidly in his seat, his body tense as stone.
He seemed to be exercising extreme self-control, his face even paler than before, his nostrils flaring slightly.
The tense energy radiating from him made the nearby students instinctively keep their distance.
Bella took a deep breath, steeling herself to sit down.
"Bella."
A familiar voice called out to her.
Edward Connor had appeared beside her, his usual easygoing smile on his face.
"I think I'll trade seats with you," he said, casually setting his backpack on the chair next to the empty seat.
"What?" Bella looked confused.
Edward Connor didn't give her time to overthink it.
He turned, flashing a bright smile at the already-seated Edward Cullen, his voice pitched just right—not too loud, not too soft, but perfectly audible to students in the surrounding rows.
"I figure the two of us Edwards sitting together would have more in common, don't you think?"
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