Chapter 008
Friday morning brought rain—again—and a knot of anxiety in my stomach that had nothing to do with the weather.
I'd barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Carlisle's warning text: The Volturi enforce these laws absolutely. Edward's emotions echoed through my mind—that devastating love mixed with bone-deep fear for my safety. And underneath it all, my own certainty that I was becoming something none of us understood.
Something that scares even vampires.
Dad was already up when I came downstairs, coffee in hand, the morning paper spread across the table. He looked up as I entered, and I saw the question in his eyes before he spoke.
"You okay, kiddo? You look tired."
"Didn't sleep great." I grabbed a granola bar from the cabinet, avoiding his gaze. "Probably just adjusting to the weather."
He didn't buy it—I could see it in the set of his jaw, the way his fingers tightened on his coffee mug. But he let it go.
"I've got physical therapy this afternoon," he said. "You'll be home for dinner?"
"Yeah. Definitely." I forced a smile. "Promise."
The drive to school felt longer than usual. Every turn of the wheel brought me closer to whatever social fallout awaited me. In Phoenix, sitting with the popular kids might have earned respect or jealousy. But in Forks, where the Cullens were beautiful, mysterious, and deliberately isolated, befriending them was probably social suicide.
I pulled into the parking lot and immediately spotted Edward's Mercedes. He was leaning against it, arms crossed, looking like some kind of brooding model from a magazine. The moment our eyes met, I felt that pull—the connection that had nothing to do with logic and everything to do with whatever was developing between us.
He straightened as I parked, then was at my door before I'd even turned off the engine. Vampire speed, I realized. He wasn't even trying to hide it anymore. At least not from me.
"Good morning." His voice was careful, controlled. But I caught the edge of concern underneath it.
"Hi." I climbed out, suddenly hyperaware of how close he was standing. "You didn't have to wait for me."
"I wanted to." His golden eyes searched my face. "How are you feeling? After yesterday—after everything—"
"I'm fine." Another lie to add to my collection. "Just... processing."
He nodded slowly, not believing me but not pushing. "Alice is excited to see you at lunch. She has ideas about how to help with your... situation."
"My empathic abilities that could overwhelm and break me?" I tried for humor, but it came out bitter.
Edward's expression darkened. "That's not going to happen. We won't let it."
The certainty in his voice made my chest tight. He really believed he could protect me from everything, even from my own emerging powers.
"Come on." He offered his hand. "Let's get you to class before Angela sends out a search party."
I took his hand without thinking, and the connection flared to life immediately. His emotions washed over me—protectiveness, fear, affection, and something deeper that made my breath catch. He felt it too; I saw it in the way his eyes widened, the slight hitch in his perfectly controlled composure.
"Maya," he said softly, "you need to learn to shield. Soon. Feeling this much, this intensely—"
"I know." I squeezed his hand once, then let go, breaking the connection. The loss of contact left me feeling oddly cold. "Jasper's going to help, right?"
"Yes. After school today, if you're willing."
"I am."
We walked toward the school entrance together, and I felt every eye on us. Whispers followed in our wake—not loud enough to make out words, but the tone was clear. Speculation. Curiosity. Some jealousy. Some concern.
"They're staring," I muttered.
"They always stare." Edward's voice held a hint of wry amusement. "But yes, your association with us has caused quite the stir. Mike Newton apparently told half the school you've been 'pulled into our cult.'"
I groaned. "Great. That's exactly what I need."
"For what it's worth," Edward said, pausing at the door to my English class, "I think you're handling this remarkably well. Most people would have run screaming by now."
"Maybe I'm not most people."
Something flickered in his expression—hope, maybe, or relief. "No," he agreed quietly. "You're definitely not."
English was torture.
Angela kept shooting me concerned looks, clearly wanting to ask questions she didn't quite know how to phrase. Jessica, on the other hand, had no such reservations.
"So," she said the moment I sat down, her voice pitched low but intense, "you and Edward Cullen?"
"There's no me and Edward Cullen." The denial came automatically, even though it felt like lying.
"Really? Because you were holding hands in the parking lot. And you sat with them at lunch yesterday. And I heard from Tyler who heard from Lauren that you went to their house after school."
I stared at her. "How does everyone know everything in this town?"
"Small town, Maya. People talk." Jessica leaned closer. "Look, I'm just worried about you. The Cullens are... weird. They don't let people in. And now suddenly you're all over them? It's suspicious."
"They're just people, Jessica." Another lie. "Different, sure, but not dangerous."
She didn't look convinced, but the bell rang, saving me from further interrogation.
The morning dragged. In every class, I felt eyes on me, heard whispers that stopped when I got too close. By the time lunch rolled around, my nerves were stretched so thin I considered hiding in my truck.
But I'd promised Alice I'd sit with them. And more importantly, I wasn't going to let small-town gossip scare me away from the only people who understood what was happening to me.
The cafeteria went quiet when I walked in.
Not completely silent—that would have been too obvious. But there was a definite lull in conversation, a collective turning of heads as I made my way to the Cullens' table.
Alice was already waving me over, her smile bright and welcoming. "Maya! Come sit by me. I saved you the good chair—the one that doesn't wobble."
Her cheerfulness was infectious, and despite everything, I found myself smiling as I sat down. Edward appeared seconds later, sliding into the seat on my other side with that impossible grace.
"Rough morning?" Emmett asked, his tone sympathetic.
"You could say that." I picked at my lunch tray. "Apparently I'm either being recruited into a cult or I've lost my mind. The jury's still out."
Rosalie snorted. "At least they're creative."
"Give them time," Jasper said, his southern drawl more pronounced. "By Monday, you'll be accused of being a vampire yourself."
The word—spoken so casually in the middle of the cafeteria—made me tense. But Jasper's expression was knowing, almost teasing.
"Too soon?" he asked.
"Maybe a little." But I appreciated the attempt at humor.
Alice launched into a story about some shopping trip she was planning to Port Angeles, effectively deflecting attention from me. The conversation flowed naturally around the table, and slowly, I started to relax.
Then I felt it.
That tingling at the base of my skull. The sensation I'd experienced twice before—once during lunch the previous day, and again in Biology when I'd touched Edward.
But this time, it wasn't focused on one person. It was... everywhere.
The emotions of the entire cafeteria hit me like a physical wave.
Curiosity from the table behind us. Jealousy from Jessica's group. Hostility from Lauren. Concern from Angela. Fear from—
I gasped, my hands gripping the edge of the table. The world tilted, colors bleeding together as emotion after emotion crashed into my consciousness. Too much. Too many. I couldn't distinguish where one person's feelings ended and another's began.
"Maya?" Edward's voice seemed to come from far away. "Maya, what's wrong?"
I tried to answer, but the emotional onslaught was overwhelming. Anger. Desire. Boredom. Anxiety. Happiness. Sadness. All of it pouring into me at once, each emotion as vivid and real as if it were my own.
My breathing came in short gasps. The cafeteria spun around me.
"She's pulling from everyone," I heard Jasper say, his voice tight with alarm. "Edward, get her out of here. Now."
Strong, cold hands lifted me from my chair. Then I was moving, Edward carrying me through the cafeteria with that impossible speed, not caring who saw. The emotions grew quieter as we moved away from the crowded space, but they didn't stop completely.
I was still sensing everything. Everyone.
The fear of a freshman worried about an upcoming test. The heartbreak of a senior who'd just been dumped. The anger of a teacher dealing with a difficult parent.
"Make it stop," I whispered against Edward's chest. "Please."
He kicked open a door—the nurse's office, empty at lunchtime—and set me carefully on the examination table. His hands framed my face, forcing me to meet his eyes.
"Look at me," he commanded. "Only me. Block everything else out. Just focus on me."
I tried. God, I tried. But the emotions kept flooding in, a relentless tide threatening to drown me.
"I can't—"
"Yes, you can." His voice was fierce, absolute. "You're stronger than this. Focus on my emotions. Just mine. Feel what I'm feeling."
I latched onto him like a lifeline, focusing every ounce of concentration on Edward. His emotions were powerful—fear for me, determination to help, and underneath it all, that fierce love that still took my breath away.
Slowly, the other emotions began to fade. Not disappear—I could still sense them, distant and muted—but they were no longer overwhelming. Edward's presence became an anchor, a shield against the chaos.
My breathing steadied. The room stopped spinning.
"That's it," Edward murmured, his thumb tracing gentle circles on my cheek. "You're okay. You're safe."
The nurse's office door opened, and Jasper stepped inside, followed by Alice and Carlisle—Dr. Cullen, I corrected myself, though seeing him in his white coat at school felt surreal after visiting him at their house.
"How is she?" Carlisle asked, his voice professionally calm but his eyes worried.
"Stable," Edward said. "She's anchored to me now. The others' emotions are muted."
Carlisle moved closer, studying me carefully. "Maya, can you hear me?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
"What you just experienced was an empathic surge. Your abilities are manifesting faster than we anticipated." He glanced at Jasper. "Much faster."
"I felt it building," Jasper said quietly. "Her emotional signature has been growing stronger all morning. I should have warned you."
"It's not your fault." I finally found my voice, though it came out shaky. "I didn't even know it was happening until it hit me."
"That's the problem." Carlisle's expression was grave. "You're developing abilities without any control, any training. If this continues, the next surge could be even stronger. You could hurt yourself. Or worse, you could reveal what you are to everyone in that cafeteria."
The implications settled over me like a weight. I wasn't just in danger from the Volturi. I was a danger to myself, to the Cullens' secret, to everyone around me.
"So what do we do?" I asked.
Carlisle and Jasper exchanged a look I couldn't quite read.
"We start training today," Jasper said firmly. "No more waiting. After school, you come to our house, and I teach you everything I know about shielding and control."
"And in the meantime?" Edward's hands were still on my face, grounding me.
"In the meantime," Carlisle said, "she stays with you. You're her anchor now. As long as she's near you, focused on your emotions, the others should remain manageable."
"What about classes?" I asked. "I can't just skip the rest of the day."
"You're in shock." Carlisle's tone left no room for argument. "I'm excusing you from afternoon classes. Edward will take you home—"
"No." I pulled away from Edward, forcing myself to stand on unsteady legs. "I'm not running away. I'm not letting this control me."
"Maya—" Edward started.
"I'll sit next to Edward in Biology. He can be my anchor there." I looked at Carlisle. "I can do this. I have to learn how to handle it, right? Hiding won't help."
Carlisle studied me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright. But Edward stays with you. And the moment you feel another surge coming, you tell him immediately. Understood?"
"Understood."
Biology was an exercise in concentrated focus. I sat as close to Edward as the lab stools allowed, one hand gripping his beneath the table where Mr. Banner couldn't see. His presence was a constant, steady anchor, keeping the emotional chaos of thirty other students at bay.
"You're doing well," Edward murmured under his breath. "Just keep focusing on me."
"That's getting easier," I admitted. Maybe too easy. Every moment I spent connected to him made the bond stronger, more natural. Like my abilities were learning to seek him out automatically.
When the bell finally rang, I'd made it through the entire class without another surge.
"See?" I said as we walked to the parking lot. "I can handle this."
"You're stubborn." But Edward's tone was almost admiring.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
He stopped at my truck, his expression serious. "Come to our house. Now. Jasper's waiting."
I glanced at my phone. "I should tell my dad—"
"Alice already texted him from your phone." At my shocked look, Edward had the grace to look sheepish. "She borrowed it during lunch. Before... everything. She told him you're studying at a friend's house and will be home by dinner."
I should have been annoyed at the invasion of privacy. Instead, I felt grateful.
"Okay," I said. "Let's go learn how to control this before I accidentally broadcast everyone's emotions to the entire school."
Edward's hand found mine, and I felt his relief through our connection.
But as we walked to his car, I couldn't shake the feeling that today's surge was just the beginning. My abilities were growing faster than anyone expected. And something told me that what happened in the cafeteria was nothing compared to what was coming.
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