The rain intensified as Bella parked her truck in Charlie's driveway, the rhythmic pounding on the roof a soothing backdrop to her scattered thoughts. She stayed seated for a moment, gripping the steering wheel as she replayed the day's events.
She'd survived. That was the most important part. But the encounter in the cafeteria with Rosalie—and the unexpected, subdued interaction with Edward—left her on edge. Nothing had gone the way she anticipated.
Dragging herself out of the truck, Bella headed inside. The warm scent of something vaguely edible greeted her. Charlie must've ordered pizza, his way of welcoming her back without having to fuss too much.
"Hey, kiddo," Charlie greeted from the couch, a half-empty pizza box on the coffee table beside him.
"Hey, Dad," Bella replied, grabbing a slice and sinking into the armchair.
"How was school?"
"It was fine," she said with a shrug, keeping her voice casual. "Mostly just introductions and a lot of staring."
Charlie chuckled. "They'll settle down once they get used to you."
Bella nodded, though her mind was far from the ordinary gawking of her classmates. After a few minutes of quiet conversation, she excused herself and headed upstairs.
In her room, Bella opened her journal, flipping to a fresh page.
Entry 2:
Today was harder than I thought it would be. Seeing them—seeing Rosalie—it felt unreal. She's just as beautiful as I remembered, but colder. Distant.
Edward surprised me. I thought he'd react like he did in the book, but he didn't. He looked at me like I was a puzzle. Does he know something's different?
I have to be careful. One misstep, and everything could unravel.
Closing the journal, Bella leaned back against the bed, her thoughts circling around Rosalie. The look they'd shared in the cafeteria lingered in her mind. It was so brief, but it had felt… significant. Or maybe she was imagining it.
She sighed and grabbed her laptop, opening it to search for distraction. Instead, she found herself looking up local landmarks, specifically around La Push. If she was going to navigate this world, she'd need to know more about the shifters, too.
The next morning, Bella was met with more rain and a sky so gray it seemed to press down on the world.
She arrived at school early, parking her truck and making her way to her locker without incident. The halls were quieter than the day before, most students still lingering outside or in the cafeteria.
As she turned a corner, she nearly collided with someone.
"Sorry—" Bella started but froze when she saw who it was.
Rosalie Hale stood before her, her golden eyes narrowing slightly as she stepped back.
For a moment, Bella was struck dumb. Up close, Rosalie was even more breathtaking. Her skin had the faint sheen of marble, her features impossibly symmetrical.
Rosalie's lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze flicking over Bella as if assessing her for a flaw.
"You should watch where you're going," Rosalie said, her voice sharp and low.
Bella nodded quickly, her throat dry. "Right. Sorry."
Rosalie didn't reply. She swept past Bella, her movements fluid and graceful, leaving a faint trace of some floral scent in her wake.
Bella stood frozen for a moment before shaking herself and heading to class. Her heart was still pounding, but not from fear.
It was official: Rosalie Hale was going to be a problem.
Biology was uneventful again, though Edward's curious glances hadn't stopped. He hadn't spoken to her beyond polite pleasantries, but his presence felt heavier, like he was analyzing her every move.
By the time lunch rolled around, Bella's nerves were frayed. She grabbed her food and found a quiet corner of the cafeteria, doing her best to ignore the table by the windows.
But it was impossible not to notice when Rosalie stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor.
Bella's gaze darted toward her instinctively, catching sight of the faint irritation on her perfect face as she spoke softly to Emmett. Whatever she said made him grin, but Rosalie didn't return the smile.
Bella quickly looked away before she could be caught staring, her appetite thoroughly gone.
That evening, Bella wrote again in her journal:
Entry 3:
I saw Rosalie again today. She spoke to me. It wasn't much—just a warning—but it was more than I expected.
She looked… annoyed. Maybe even irritated that I exist. It shouldn't matter. But it does.
Edward keeps watching me. I can't tell what he's thinking, but I need to stay on guard.
It's strange. I thought this would feel more like a story—predictable, easy to manage. But everything feels sharper, heavier. More real.
The only thing I know for sure is that Rosalie is going to keep pulling at my thoughts, no matter how hard I try to focus on anything else.