Chapter 2: Under the Surface
The next morning, Bella awoke to the sound of rain pattering against the window again. It was a constant companion in Forks, like the quiet hum of the earth beneath her feet, the only rhythm that mattered. The dreary weather, however, no longer felt quite as lonely. After yesterday, her mind was far from empty. It was preoccupied with the image of those golden eyes—the way they seemed to look straight through her, like he knew something she didn't. Edward Cullen.
She had tried to push the thoughts away during the night, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face. It wasn't just his appearance, though. It was the way he carried himself. He had a presence that was almost otherworldly, a tension in the way he moved and the way he interacted with his family. They were all so beautiful, too, but there was something else about them—something unsettling.
When she got to school, Bella found herself trying to act normal, to push the nagging thought that Edward was watching her. But as soon as she stepped into the cafeteria, her gaze automatically sought him out. And, just as before, his golden eyes were on her. This time, however, there was no subtlety. He was staring directly at her, and for a moment, she froze. Her heart seemed to skip a beat, and she couldn't look away, as if his eyes were pulling her in, demanding her attention.
"Bella?" came a voice beside her, dragging her out of her trance.
She turned to find her classmate, Jessica Stanley, looking at her curiously. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Bella blinked and gave her a forced smile. "I'm fine. Just a little distracted."
Jessica followed her gaze, and her eyebrows raised as she took in Edward's gaze. "Ah, so that's what's got you all spaced out. Edward Cullen, right?"
Bella nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"You should talk to him," Jessica said, her voice tinged with excitement. "He's... different, but he's got this mysterious vibe. The kind of thing that makes girls, well... swoon." She laughed lightly. "You might even be able to get a date with him. He doesn't talk to many people, but maybe he's noticed you."
Bella shook her head, a laugh escaping her lips despite the unease that still lingered in her chest. "I don't think so. I'm not exactly his type."
Jessica gave her a skeptical look. "Well, you never know. You should at least try."
Bella dismissed the suggestion with a shrug and turned back to her lunch. She couldn't help but wonder, though, if there was something more to Edward than just his beauty and aloofness. There was an energy around him—something she couldn't quite place. Something dangerous.
---
Edward's Perspective
Edward Cullen sat at his usual spot, his family surrounding him, but his attention was fixated on the girl across the room. Isabella Swan. Her scent, mixed with the natural scent of the rain-soaked town, had filled his senses the moment she stepped into the cafeteria. There was no mistaking it—her blood called to him, alluring and irresistible in a way that was almost painful.
But that wasn't why he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. No, it was more than that. There was something about her, something in the way she carried herself, that intrigued him. She was different from the others. Where most humans were either terrified of him or overly fascinated, Bella was...unaware. She had no idea what he was, what his family was, and yet she didn't flinch away like others.
Her vulnerability, her quiet strength—it spoke to him. Edward felt a pull he couldn't explain, and it scared him. He had lived for over a century, walking the earth with an eternal thirst that could never be satisfied. And yet, with Bella, there was a feeling he hadn't known since before he became what he was—something like hope. Something like longing.
"Edward," Alice whispered beside him, her voice soft but knowing. "Don't stare too long."
He glanced at her, startled by the knowing look in her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"You're getting too close to the edge. You know she can't be part of this world."
Edward sighed, rubbing his temples as though trying to clear the fog in his mind. He knew Alice was right. His family had spent lifetimes carefully avoiding humans, keeping their distance to avoid temptation. But Bella... She wasn't like the others. The way she looked at him, even without fully understanding why, made him feel seen, in a way that was rare for someone like him.
"I know," he muttered, turning his gaze away reluctantly. "But I can't stop thinking about her."
Alice didn't press him further but simply nodded in understanding. She had seen many things in her visions—many outcomes, many possible futures—but she was just as cautious as he was when it came to Bella. It was dangerous.
Carlisle, Edward's father and the patriarch of their family, had always encouraged them to live peacefully, to blend in, to avoid human interactions. But Carlisle was also the first to understand the deep struggle Edward faced, torn between his nature and his desire for redemption. For a moment, Edward wondered if Carlisle had ever felt this way—this pull toward a single human soul, knowing that getting too close would only end in disaster.
He clenched his fists, trying to push away the thoughts. They had been through this before, and the answer was always the same: Do not engage.
But as Bella lifted her head, her eyes met his once more, and for a split second, it felt as though time stood still.
---
The Cullen Family's Perspective
Esme Cullen, Edward's mother figure and the heart of their family, watched her son with a mixture of concern and love. She knew what Edward was going through. She had seen the way he had suffered for so long, torn between the life he had lived and the life he could never truly have. She had always admired his strength, his ability to resist the temptation of humans, and his dedication to keeping his family safe. But with Bella Swan, Esme sensed something was different.
"It's like he's been pulled toward her," Esme whispered to Carlisle as they watched Edward silently struggle. "I've never seen him like this before."
Carlisle, the wise and compassionate leader of their family, nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same feeling I had when I first met you," he said, his voice low. "The feeling that there was something worth fighting for. But this... this is different. Edward's soul is still at war with itself, and Bella may be the one thing that could either redeem or destroy him."
Rosalie, Edward's adopted sister, who had always been the more practical and cynical member of the family, crossed her arms and scowled. "This is madness. She's human. He can't afford to get tangled up with her."
Emmett, her husband, leaned over with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Come on, Rosalie, let's not be so dramatic. Maybe she's just a passing fascination. I'm sure we've all had those. Remember when you were obsessed with that one human guy?"
Rosalie shot him a glare. "That was different, and you know it."
Alice, who had been listening in, leaned toward Edward with an almost playful smile. "She's the one, Edward," she said, her voice teasing yet filled with certainty. "You know it as much as I do."
Edward didn't respond. He couldn't. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions—desire, fear, and an overwhelming sense of inevitability.
It was only a matter of time before he would have to make a choice. Whether he could walk away from Bella and the life he had always known... or if he would give in to the dangerous attraction he couldn't deny.
For the first time in a long time, Edward Cullen was unsure of what the future held.