The shrill beep of my alarm cut through the grey morning light. I groaned, burrowing deeper under my purple comforter.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," Maze's voice chimed in, far too cheerful for my liking. "Time to face the hormone-filled halls of educational imprisonment."
"You're enjoying this way too much," I thought, dragging myself out of bed. The wooden floor was cold under my feet, and the bathroom was still unfamiliar – I had to dodge around boxes to reach the shower.
"I've tortured souls in Hell who complained less," Maze commented as I stood under the hot water. "Though this weather might actually be worse than the eternal flames."
As I pulled on my sweater, I adjusted the concealed sheath beneath it, the familiar weight of Maze's ancient blades reassuring against my skin. After years, they felt as natural as wearing a watch. The constant patter of rain against the roof backed up her point. After showering, I pulled on my most comfortable jeans and a dark blue sweater, attempting to tame my hair into submission.
"At least you don't have to worry about what to wear," Maze mused. "In this weather, you'll be covered in layers anyway."
Charlie was already at the kitchen table when I came down, coffee cup in one hand, newspaper in the other. The kitchen was exactly as I remembered it – yellow cabinets, white walls, and the same chairs from my childhood.
"Morning, Bells," he said, folding the paper. "Sleep okay?"
"Yeah, thanks," I replied, grabbing a bowl and the box of cereal he'd bought for me. The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable – one thing Charlie and I had in common was appreciating quiet mornings.
"The chief's mustache twitches when he's nervous," Maze observed. "He's done it six times in the last minute. He wants to say something."
Sure enough, Charlie cleared his throat. "So, uh, nervous about school?"
I shrugged, pushing my cereal around. "Not really." It wasn't entirely true, but with Maze's constant commentary, I was never really alone in uncomfortable situations.
"Liar," Maze sang in my head. "Your heart rate says otherwise."
Charlie nodded, standing to put his cup in the sink. "Well, I'm heading out. Good luck today, kid."
After he left, I took my time cleaning up, watching the clock until I couldn't delay any longer. Grabbing my backpack and the new keys to my truck, I stepped out into the drizzling rain.
The truck's cab was dry and warm, if a bit musty. It roared to life just as Jacob had shown me, making me jump despite expecting it.
"This thing's going to announce our arrival from a mile away," Maze chuckled. "So much for a subtle entrance."
Finding Forks High School wasn't difficult – like most things in town, it was just off the highway. The building looked more like a collection of matching houses than a school, built with maroon-colored bricks.
"Well, this is… quaint," Maze commented as I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign reading 'FRONT OFFICE'. "At least there's no metal detectors. Those always make my demon essence tingle uncomfortably."
Inside, the office was brightly lit and warmer than I'd expected. A large, red-haired woman looked up as I entered, her eyes widening with recognition.
"Here we go," Maze sighed. "Another person who's been waiting for Chief Swan's daughter."
"Isabella Swan?" the woman asked, already reaching for a stack of papers.
"Bella," I corrected automatically.
"You'll be correcting that all day," Maze predicted. "Want to bet how many times people call you Isabella? I'm thinking at least twelve."
As the woman – Mrs. Cope, according to her nameplate – went through my schedule and handed me a map, I tried to memorize the route she was highlighting.
"Don't worry," Maze assured me. "If we get lost, I'll just possess you and we'll kick down doors until we find the right classroom."
"Please don't," I thought back, managing to thank Mrs. Cope with a straight face.
Standing outside the office, clutching my new schedule and map, I took a deep breath. The parking lot was starting to fill up with students.
"Ready or not," Maze said, her voice carrying that familiar mix of excitement and mischief, "time to face the natives."
I made my way back to my truck to park it in the student lot, navigating through the sea of staring faces. Just as I stepped out of the cab, a gangly boy with black hair and skin problems practically materialized beside me.
"You must be Isabella Swan!" His voice was overly helpful. "I'm Eric Yorkie, the eyes and ears of this place. Need any help finding your way around?"
"Oh, this one's precious," Maze snickered. "Like a puppy who's had too much coffee."
"It's Bella," I corrected, glancing at my schedule and map. "And thanks, but I've got it covered."
"Are you sure?" He stepped closer, trying to peek at my schedule. "The campus can be pretty confusing. I could show you to your first class?"
"He's not taking the hint," Maze observed. "Want me to make your eyes glow red? That usually sends them running."
"I appreciate the offer," I said firmly, taking a deliberate step back. "But I prefer finding my own way. Part of the whole new school experience, you know?"
Eric's eager expression faltered slightly. "Oh, well, maybe you'd like to sit with me and my friends at lunch? I could introduce you to everyone."
"At least he's persistent," Maze commented. "In an annoying, trying-too-hard kind of way."
I shouldered my backpack, offering a polite but distant smile. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I should get going – don't want to be late on my first day."
Before he could respond, I started walking toward Building 3, where my first class was located. I could feel his disappointed gaze following me, but thanks to years of Maze's influence, I'd learned that it was better to establish boundaries early.
"Not bad, little human," Maze approved. "Firm but not cruel. Though I still think the glowing eyes would have been fun."
"We're trying to blend in, remember?" I thought back, allowing myself a small smile as I headed to my first class. "Besides, the day's just starting. Let's save the demonic party tricks for when we really need them."
My first class was English with Mr. Mason. Despite finding the classroom on my own, all eyes still tracked my movement as I handed him my slip to sign.
"The girl in the back row has already texted three people, probably about you," Maze informed me. "And the boy by the window is drawing what I assume is meant to be your portrait. It's terrible."
I took a seat near the middle of the class, pulling out my worn copy of "Wuthering Heights" – we'd be studying the classics, apparently.
"Ah, Heathcliff," Maze mused. "Now there was a human with potential. Would have made an excellent demon."
A tiny girl with wildly curly hair leaned over from the next desk. "Isabella, right? I'm Jessica Stanley."
"Just Bella," I corrected, noticing her designer bag and carefully applied makeup.
"This one's interesting," Maze commented. "Sweet smile, shark eyes. My kind of human."
"So, how are you liking Forks?" Jessica asked, twirling her pen.
"It's certainly… wet," I replied diplomatically.
Jessica launched into a detailed comparison between Forks and California, barely pausing for breath until Mr. Mason called the class to order.
In Government, a boy named Mike Newton claimed the seat next to me. With his baby face and pale blond hair, he reminded me of a golden retriever.
"Another one with heart-eyes," Maze groaned. "I miss the days when courting involved actual combat."
"You must be Isabella-"
"Bella," I interrupted, pulling out my notebook.
"Right, Bella! How are you finding everything? Need someone to show you around?"
"That's the third offer today," Maze counted. "Are all teenage boys this transparent?"
"I'm managing fine," I said, then added with a slight smile, "I have a good sense of direction."
In Trigonometry, Mr. Varner made me introduce myself to the entire class, which earned him a spot on Maze's "potentially deserving of demonic retribution" list.
"Just say the word," she offered. "I know some excellent curses that would make his nose hair grow uncontrollably."
"Behave," I thought back, taking a seat next to Angela Weber, a quiet girl who seemed more interested in her textbook than gossip.
"This one's different," Maze observed. "Calm soul. Rare in this age group."
Spanish passed quickly, though Jessica, who shared the class, managed to extract a promise that I'd sit with her group at lunch.
"Politics," Maze sighed. "Even in high school. Though I suppose it's better to have allies than enemies. Just remember what I taught you about watching your back."
By the time the bell rang for lunch, I'd corrected my name thirteen times (Maze won the bet), deflected four more offers of guidance, and accumulated enough stares to last a lifetime.
"Ready to face the feeding frenzy?" Maze asked as we headed toward the cafeteria. "Remember, if anyone tries to steal your food, I know seventeen different ways to disable them with a plastic fork."
"Sometimes I can't tell if you're joking," I thought, pushing open the cafeteria doors.
"That's what makes me such excellent company," she replied cheerfully. "Now, let's see what passes for food in this establishment."
Jessica led me through the lunch line, chattering about teachers and classes. I was only half-listening, my attention caught by a group sitting in the corner of the cafeteria.
"Well, hello beautiful," Maze's voice perked up. "Now those are some specimens worth studying."
They were five of them, sitting together yet somehow separate from everything around them. They weren't talking or eating, just sitting with untouched food before them. Three boys and two girls, all devastatingly beautiful yet somehow… wrong.
"Their souls are different," Maze mused, her voice unusually serious. "But they're not demons. Never seen anything quite like them in my years."
"Who are they?" I asked Jessica, trying to keep my voice casual.
Jessica giggled, clearly pleased to share the gossip. "The Cullens. They're Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids. They moved down here from Alaska a couple of years ago."
"Foster kids my demon blade," Maze scoffed. "They're something else entirely."
"The big dark-haired guy is Emmett Cullen," Jessica continued. "The blonde girl next to him is Rosalie Hale. The tiny dark-haired girl is Alice Cullen, and next to her is Jasper Hale, Rosalie's twin. And the last one is Edward Cullen."
As if hearing his name, Edward's head snapped up, his golden eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before his face contorted in confusion.
"Ooh, that's interesting," Maze said. "Pretty boy can hear us, can't he? Hello there, handsome. Nice trick, but you can you also hear me?"
Edward's eyes widened fractionally, his gaze intensifying as he stared at me.
"They're all together though," Jessica was saying. "Like, together-together. Emmett and Rosalie, Jasper and Alice. And Edward doesn't date. Apparently, none of the girls here are good enough for him."
"Or maybe he's just not into eating his dates," Maze mused. "Because that's what they look like they want to do – eat everyone in here. Fascinating really. Never met creatures like these before."
"Maze," I thought firmly. "Maybe don't antagonize the mysterious beautiful people? What if they can somehow hear you?"
"Where's the fun in that?" she laughed. "Besides, pretty boy is still paying attention to us. Must be driving him crazy."
I risked another glance at their table. Edward was still staring, his expression a mix of frustration and curiosity. His siblings seemed to have noticed his odd behavior, casting subtle glances our way.
"Don't waste your time with Edward," Jessica advised, misinterpreting my interest. "Like I said, he doesn't date."
"No, he just broods professionally," Maze commented. "Though I have to admit, he does it well. Hey, what exactly are you and your family? Because you're setting off all sorts of supernatural alarms in my senses."
Edward's jaw clenched, and he finally looked away, though I could see tension in his shoulders.
"Wasn't planning on it," I assured Jessica, taking a bite of my apple. But I couldn't help wondering what exactly the Cullens were, and why Maze – who had seen literally everything Hell had to offer – found them so intriguing.
"This town just got a lot more interesting," Maze said gleefully. "Think we can make the pretty boy's head explode if we start reciting demon poetry?"
"Maze, no."
"Maze, yes."
After lunch, Angela walked with me to Biology II, a comfortable silence between us that even Maze didn't feel the need to fill. My heart skipped a beat when I walked into the classroom and saw Edward Cullen sitting next to the only empty seat.
"Well, well," Maze purred. "Looks like we get a front-row seat to the pretty boy show."
As I walked past the fan toward Mr. Banner's desk, Edward's entire body went rigid. His eyes, now black as coal, fixed on me with an expression of pure hostility.
"Whoa," Maze's voice sharpened. "His whole posture just shifted. I don't like this, little human. Maybe I should take over?"
"Not yet," I thought back, keeping my exterior calm as Mr. Banner signed my slip. Years in Maze's company had taught me not to show fear, even when every instinct screamed danger.
"His eyes changed color," Maze observed as I walked toward the empty seat. "And he's not breathing. Definitely not human. Stay alert."
I sat down, my posture deliberately relaxed despite the tension radiating from Edward. He'd moved as far away from me as the desk allowed, his face turned away but his fists clenched on his thigh.
"Hey," Maze projected deliberately. "Whatever you're thinking about doing to my human? Don't. You really don't want to see what happens when I get protective."
Edward's jaw clenched even tighter, but his eyes flickered briefly toward me, showing a mix of confusion, hostility, and… was that fear?
Throughout the class, I took notes on cellular anatomy, keeping my hair as a curtain between us. But I stayed aware of his every movement, just as Maze had taught me. He never relaxed, never breathed.
"This is fascinating," Maze commented. "He's fighting some serious bloodlust right now. I've seen that look before, but usually on much less pretty faces. In Hell, we'd call this foreplay."
"Not helping, Maze," I thought back, though her commentary actually helped keep me calm. Whatever Edward was, whatever he wanted, I wasn't alone.
When the bell rang, Edward was out of his seat and through the door before anyone else had moved, his movements almost too fast to follow.
"Show-off," Maze scoffed. "Though I have to admit, that was impressive. Think he'd be up for a race?"
Mike Newton appeared at my desk, looking concerned. "Did you stab Cullen with a pencil or something? I've never seen him act like that."
"No idea," I replied coolly, gathering my books. "Maybe he was having a bad day."
"Or maybe he's never met a human with a demon backup system before," Maze suggested. "This could be fun."
As Mike walked me to gym, chattering about Edward's weird behavior, I couldn't help but agree with Maze's earlier assessment – Forks had just gotten a lot more interesting. And whatever Edward Cullen was, whatever his problem with me might be, he wasn't the only one with secrets.
"That's my girl," Maze approved. "Now, want to bet he shows up tomorrow? Because if he does, I've got some choice demon vocabulary I'd love to share with our friend."
In gym class, I watched the volleyball games with measured interest. Thanks to Maze's insistence on "proper balance training," as she called it, sports weren't the death sentence they once would have been. My balance and reflexes were far better than they had any right to be.
"Look at their form," Maze critiqued. "Pathetic. Remember when I taught you proper combat stances? Same principle applies here – balance is everything."
Tomorrow I'd have to play, but thanks to Maze's insistence on physical training over the years, I wasn't dreading it as much as I once might have.
After class, I headed to the front office to return my paperwork. And then I almost walked right back out.
Edward Cullen stood at the desk in front of me, arguing with Mrs. Cope in a low, attractive voice. I caught the gist of the argument – he was trying to switch out of our Biology class to another time, any other time.
"Oh, this is rich," Maze laughed. "The mighty whatever-he-is is running away? From us? Hey pretty boy, we're not that scary… well, maybe I am."
The door opened again, bringing a gust of cold wind that rustled papers and sent my hair swirling. Edward's back stiffened, and he turned slowly to glare at me with piercing, hate-filled eyes.
"Try it," Maze's voice turned dangerous. "Give me one reason to show you what real fear looks like."
"Never mind," Edward said curtly to Mrs. Cope. "I can see it's impossible. Thank you for your help." He turned on his heel and strode past me, not breathing.
"Rude," Maze commented. "Though I have to admit, his dramatic exits are getting better."
I approached the desk, my face perfectly composed, and handed Mrs. Cope the signed slip.
"How was your first day, dear?" she asked maternally.
"Just fine," I replied, my voice strong and steady.
The drive home was quiet, even Maze lost in thought about the day's events. The rain had faded to mist, but the cold remained. Inside the house, I went straight to the kitchen, needing the comfort of a routine task.
"What's on the menu, chef?" Maze asked as I rummaged through the cupboards.
"Thinking steak and potatoes," I replied, pulling out ingredients. "Charlie mentioned he'd stocked up."
"Simple but effective. Like a good torture technique."
"Must you compare everything to torture?"
"When you're good at something…"
Charlie came home just as I was finishing up. His eyes lit up at the sight of dinner on the table.
"Smells great, Bells."
"Thanks, Dad."
"The way to a man's heart," Maze mused. "Though I prefer the more direct route through the ribcage."
Dinner conversation was minimal, which suited us both. Charlie asked about my day, and I gave him the edited version, leaving out inhuman beauties and hostile lab partners.
After cleaning up, I headed upstairs to tackle my math homework. The day's events kept replaying in my mind – the Cullens, Edward's strange behavior, the way Maze had reacted to them.
"Stop overthinking," Maze advised as I got ready for bed. "Whatever they are, we can handle it. Like we always do."
She was right, of course. Over the years, we'd faced plenty of strange situations together. Whatever Edward Cullen's problem was, whatever he and his family might be, I had something they didn't expect: a demon guardian who'd literally been to Hell and back.
"Sweet dreams, little human," Maze's voice softened as I drifted off. "Tomorrow's another day to terrorize the pretty boy."
"Maze…"
"Fine, fine. No terrorizing. Much."