"Don’t you think it’s strange that no one’s ever questioned us about—" I gestured subtly toward our entire table.

Emmett was the first to respond, of course.
"About how we always manage to look this cool?" he asked with a teasing grin.

I sighed, shooting him a flat look. "Em, can you be serious for one second?"

Edward, always the calm one, tilted his head slightly. "Can you be a little more specific?"

I leaned in. "In the two years we’ve been here, not once has anyone questioned why we come to the cafeteria every day and never eat a thing."

"I mean, not everyone who comes to the cafeteria is here for food," Alice chimed in with a light tone, nudging Jasper, who was staring blankly into space again.

It took her a moment to bring him back.
"Sorry… what were we talking about?" he mumbled with a sheepish smile.

But now it was Alice who seemed distracted. Her eyes fixed on the cafeteria line—intensely. It didn’t last long, maybe a second or two, but when she looked at me, there was something uncertain in her expression. She glanced between me and Emmett before motioning for me to lean closer.

"Okay, I’ve got good news and bad news," she whispered. "Which do you want first?"

"Seriously, Alice?" I muttered, annoyance creeping into my voice.

"Pick," she insisted with her usual perky bounce—but there was a slight edge to it this time.

"Ugh… fine. Bad news."

"Well…" Alice gave a sheepish smile. "Things are about to get a lot more complicated for you, sis."

She tilted her chin subtly toward the cafeteria line. "See the brunette in the boring outfit? Next to the punk-rock girl with the golden-brown hair?"

I followed her gaze. It didn’t take long to spot them—mostly because they were both staring right at us.

"Go on," I said, trying to coax Alice into just spitting it out already.

She glanced at Emmett again—odd—and leaned closer to my ear.
"I just had a vision. And that punk girl? She was the center of it."

My brows pulled together. "And?"

"And you were in almost every snippet. It wasn’t as clear as I’d like, but I saw you two in biology. Sitting together. Sneaking glances at each other. And the last bit..." Alice hesitated, her voice lowering. "Your hand was over hers. You were staring at each other."

...So that’s why she was glancing at Emmett...

But that doesn’t make sense. I’d never… I wouldn’t cheat on Emmett. Especially not with some soft, clueless human

Unable to help myself I get out of my seat and head to Edward

“Don’t you want to hear the good news?” Alice calls after me, loud enough for only our table to hear.

But I don’t have time for good news. None of this makes sense, and we need to figure out what’s happening—especially before that vision becomes reality.

I move closer to Edward, leaning in and keeping my voice low. “I need a favor. See the two girls at the lunch line?”

He’s already scanning the cafeteria, and I can tell exactly when his eyes land on them—on her. The punk girl. Of course, they’re still staring right at us.

“You’ve noticed them too, haven’t you?” I ask, just a little too eager. Edward gives a slow nod—but his attention seems fixed on the wrong girl.

“I need you to read the mind of the one in punk attire,” I say, the edge in my tone making it clear I’m not asking.

He flicks a glance my way—no doubt wondering why—but he doesn’t question it. Instead, he focuses in, eyes narrowing slightly as he tries to listen.

By the time he turns back to me, the girl has moved, tray in hand, disappearing into the crowd.

“So?” I press.

Edward hesitates. “Hard to explain. Her thoughts were a jumble—but everything revolved around you. Glimpses of trying not to stare at you in class, and then...” He huffs softly. “And I quote—‘like being hit by a truck’ when your eyes met.”

I should be flattered. I should be amused.

But then Edward adds, voice dropping slightly, “It’s not her that concerns me. The brunette… I couldn’t read her mind at all.”

He stares after them as they retreat to their table.

I slip back into my seat.

“What was that about?” Emmett asks, curious. He knows I don’t whisper often—especially not in Edward’s ear.

I can’t let him know. Can’t break his heart over something that might never happen. Visions change. Maybe if I avoid her—don’t interact—it’ll fade.

I’m still spiraling when Emmett gently touches my arm. “Rosalie? You okay?”

“Yeah,” I lie, managing a smile. “Edward just told me about a human he can’t read.”

It’s not a total lie. Just not the whole truth.

Before Emmett can ask more, Alice nudges me, her eyes still on them.

“So?” she asks under her breath. “What did you find out?”

She doesn’t need to look—I know who she means. I glance across the cafeteria. One of them has clearly noticed our table staring. She’s whispering something, and then her friend—Elodie—turns to look. The moment our eyes meet again, something happens.

I feel it.

I don’t know what it is—but I feel it. And that scares me more than I’d like to admit.

Everyone’s noticing now. Their table. Mine. I catch Alice whispering something to Jasper. I need to convince her to keep this between us. Edward is lost in his own thoughts. And Emmett—

He’s noticed where I’m looking.

The bell saves me. I shoot up, grateful for the distraction.

“Rosalie, what’s wrong?” Emmett asks, catching my wrist gently.

“I’m fine,” I lie again, barely managing to smile. “I just need some air.”

I move quickly, trying to get away before he sees through me. I expect Emmett behind me, but it’s Alice.

“Rosalie,” she says softly as we step into the hall. “What’s wrong?”

“When Edward read her thoughts… they were all about me.”

Alice shrugs, ever the optimist. “Not the first time a human’s fallen for your beauty, Rosalie.”

But I snap back, voice tight. “When our eyes met—when our entire table became the center of that lunchroom—I felt something, Alice. And that terrifies me. Especially since...” I glance at the next door.

“Biology is your next class,” she finishes.

“You could skip,” Alice offers gently.

But I shake my head. “No. That might complicate things even more. I’d rather know. Maybe if I can understand it… I can stop it.”

We stop in front of the bio lab. Alice lifts a hand, almost to place on my shoulder—but a voice interrupts us.

“What’s wrong?” Edward. His expression mirrors Alice’s—concerned.

Alice glances at me, silently asking for permission. I subtly shake my head.

“Um… I’ve got my own class to get to,” Alice says quickly, backing away and bumping into a passing student. She mumbles an apology and disappears down the hall.

I turn to enter the room, but Edward gently stops me, his hand on my wrist.

“Is this about that girl?”

I meet his eyes, but say nothing.

His expression tells me he already knows. He lets me go.

Inside, the room is mostly empty. The teacher gestures for me to sit—assigned table in the back. Edward takes a seat near the front.

Each second ticks by like an eternity. Maybe she won’t show. Maybe she skipped. Broke her ankle. Anything.

But of course, she walks in. With the brunette

And of course, Edward is paired with Bella. The unreadable one.

And Elodie? She’s walking toward my table.

Of course.

The closer she gets, the more intense her scent becomes. It’s not like any human I’ve smelled before. Not blood. Not perfume. It’s like—

Winter. Not the chill, but the memory of it. Mountain air and alpine leaves, with something warmer blooming beneath it.

It takes everything in me not to get lost in it.

When she finally reaches me, I’ve been staring like an idiot. I force myself back into reality.

She sits beside me.

I keep my gaze fixed anywhere else, resisting the urge to breathe her in. Can’t get lost in this. Can’t do that to Emmett.

Seconds pass. Then, movement.

I glance over. Her hand is outstretched toward me, trembling slightly.

“Um… hi,” she says, voice unsure. “I’m Elodie.”

She smiles—nervous and honest—and I can’t even look her in the eye. Her hand, extended like some kind of cosmic dare, is the one thing I can’t touch.

“I’m Rosalie,” I reply shortly, glancing away.

I catch Bella trying to talk to Edward… and Edward doing his best to pretend she doesn’t exist. You almost feel bad for her. Almost.

The teacher starts the lesson. I pretend to pay attention, trying not to breathe her in .

He begins explaining the experiment will be working on today , and the moment he mentions we’ll be sharing the microscope, I know what I have to avoid.

Then—her voice again.

“Aren’t you going to—?” she prompts gently, gesturing toward the setup.

I’m ready to snap something dismissive—tell her to mind her business—but when I look at her, something in me stills.

Her lips. Brown lipstick. Full upper lip.

Damn it.

I blurt the first excuse that comes to mind. “I’m out of swabs.”

She looks down. At the swabs still sitting on my side of the table.

Great.

Panicking, I glance around for an excuse to break her focus. I see her friend. Pointing, I say, “Is your friend trying to get your attention?”

She turns. Perfect.

Quickly, I flick my swabs off the table—both of them. Then I take a gamble and flick hers, too.

She turns back, confused.

“Oops,” I say, voice laced with faux innocence. “I dropped mine.”

She glances down, clearly about to offer one of hers.

Before she can, I lean in slightly—don’t even know why—and murmur, “Guess I’ll have to rely on your swab.”

I give her the look—the one that never fails.

It doesn’t.

Her mouth falls open just slightly, and the swab she’s holding slips from her hand.

I catch it. Smoothly. Human speed.

I hand it back to her, like nothing happened.

The rest of the lab passes in near silence.

Until I slip.

The scent. The quiet.

I let my guard down. I reach for the microscope—without thinking—and my hand lands on hers.

Exactly like Alice’s vision.

Time freezes.

I look down—her hand undermine—and then up at her eyes.

There’s a spark.

A shock.

I love Emmett. I do. But I’ve never felt this.

And the worst part?

I like it.

I like the way she’s looking at me—like I’m the only thing in the room.

Then I sense it. The teacher’s presence.

“Wouldn’t your time be better spent on the experiment, Matthews?” he asks dryly.

And something about the way he says her name—like she’s the problem—makes me want to snap.

But I don’t.

I can’t.

Still, I haven’t moved. Our hands are still touching.

And now the class is watching.

Edward included.

He looks… concerned.

The teacher’s bored tone jolts me back. I pull my hand back like I’ve been burned.

Like I’ve betrayed the only man who’s ever truly loved me.

The rest of class blurs.

And when the bell rings, I’m up and gone before the sound finishes echoing. Nearly running.

I can’t stay here.

No matter how much I want to.