It was a lot like the day Bella had arrived in Forks—yet, at the same time, completely different.
When Bella had entered her first class, she had done so quietly, slipping into her seat with the clear intent of not drawing attention. Of course, she had failed—though through no fault of her own. But at least she had tried to fit in, to match the subdued atmosphere of the small, perpetually overcast town.
The new student, however, had done the exact opposite.
He strolled into the biology lab after the bell had rung, exuding a confidence that seemed entirely unwarranted given his condition. His neck was wrapped in gauze, a crescent-shaped cut marked the skin beneath his left eye, and a deep bruise marred his left cheek. His baggy green jacket concealed his arms, and while the low neckline of his t-shirt hinted at more injuries, it didn't reveal enough to be certain.
The room had fallen silent at his arrival. Every pair of eyes was fixed on him, yet he appeared utterly unbothered. Instead, he smirked, a single dimple carving into his cheek as he flashed a set of impossibly white teeth.
"Hey."
The teacher, momentarily caught off guard, set his notebook down and approached. "Ash Nightsun?"
The boy's grin widened. "Yep," he confirmed, popping the 'p.' "Sorry I'm a little late. I wasn't actually supposed to get here until tomorrow, but they told me to just show up anyway..." He trailed off with a casual shrug.
The teacher gave an understanding nod. "That's perfectly fine. We were just discussing onion reproduction." He gestured toward an empty seat. "You can sit in front of Edward and Bella."
Ash nodded and made his way over, swinging his too-light backpack off his shoulder and dropping it onto the chair beside him.
"Are all the open seats by you?" Bella murmured to Edward.
Edward's expression tightened slightly. "I try to sit alone when possible."
Bella cast a glance at the new student.
As the lecture wrapped up and the students turned their attention to their textbooks—or their friends—Ash spun in his seat to face them.
"Hey," he greeted with the same easy smirk. "I'm Ash. You guys are Bella and—" he pointed to each of them in turn—"Edward, right? I'm usually good with names. Granted, it's only been ten minutes."
"You're spot on," Bella replied with a nod.
Ash pushed a hand through his shaggy white hair, but it fell right back into place, barely disturbed. "Good to meet you guys." He gave a quick wave, and Bella's eyes flickered to his hands—wrapped in bandages, some of which were already stained with blood.
Beside her, Edward stiffened. His jaw clenched, and his expression turned rigid. Bella recognized that look. She had seen it before—on her first day, when her blood had first tested his control.
Did Ash's blood smell good to Edward too?
Bella turned to Edward, lowering her voice. "Are you... okay?"
Ash followed her gaze, then glanced down at his own hands as if just now realizing their state. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."
Bella hesitated. "Can I ask what happened?"
Ash tilted his head, amusement flickering in his vibrant blue eyes. Then his grin stretched just a little wider. "I don't know if you'll believe it," he mused, "but I was bitten by a wild animal."
He let the words hang in the air for a beat before adding, "Crazy, right?"
Edward didn't stay to hear the rest of the conversation. The second the bell rang, he was out of his seat, out the door—leaving even Bella behind as he stalked toward the parking lot. She barely had time to react before he disappeared into Jasper's car, which peeled out of the lot without a backward glance.
Bella stood there, stunned.
What had just happened?
Would he at least call her later? Offer some sort of explanation?
"Hey."
Bella jumped, nearly losing her footing on the damp pavement. A firm pair of arms caught her before she could hit the ground.
"Whoa. You okay?" The voice was familiar, though she couldn't place it right away. She glanced up—straight into Ash's face.
"Oh." She quickly righted herself, stepping back. "Yeah. Thanks."
Ash chuckled, shaking his head. "I caused the problem, so it's only fair I fix it, right? Sorry for scaring you." His tone was light, easy. "I just wanted to say hi. You know, meet some new people."
Bella gave an awkward laugh. She wasn't sure why, but her gaze drifted to his hands again.
They were bloodier than before.
Had he reopened his wounds when he caught her?
"They're fine," Ash reassured her before she could say anything. He waved his hands as if to prove it. "I would've bled through them anyway."
Now that they were standing outside, in the dim natural light of the post-rainstorm afternoon, Bella noticed something strange.
Inside, under the fluorescent bulbs of the classroom, Ash had looked... off. Something about him had felt unnatural, though she couldn't pinpoint why. But now, in the open air, he just looked normal.
Tall—slightly taller than Edward. Young—his features held a boyishness that Edward sometimes lacked, the kind of youthful charm that contrasted sharply with Edward's ancient air.
But more than anything else, Ash was beautiful.
His features were sharp but not cold, striking but not unreal. High cheekbones, a perfect jawline, impossibly white teeth. His eyes were unreal—icy blue, practically glowing beneath thick white lashes. His skin was pale, but not in the same ghostly way as the Cullens. There was something... alive about it.
Forks had a habit of collecting inhumanly good-looking people.
That word—inhuman—lodged itself in her mind. It reminded her of the way she had first felt about Edward.
Was Ash... human?
Of course, it wasn't fair to assume that every impossibly attractive person she met was secretly a vampire.
But still.
Something didn't feel right.
"You okay?"
She flinched again.
"You spaced out for a second there," Ash said, studying her curiously.
Bella quickly shook her head. "I'm fine. Uh—I should probably get home."
Ash's smile was bright, reassuring. "See ya." He lifted a hand in farewell—another glimpse of bloodied bandages.
As Bella walked to her truck, she realized she wasn't the only one staring at him.
Because Ash had arrived late, he hadn't gotten the usual first-day scrutiny while walking into school. But now? The students of Forks High were making up for lost time.
It was probably the closest she'd ever get to experiencing what it must have been like the day the Cullens arrived in Forks.
She had been a novelty when she arrived.
Ash?
Ash was a prize.
Her thoughts churned as she pulled out of the lot, glancing once in the rearview mirror at the new student—who was still standing there, still smirking slightly, as if he knew exactly what kind of effect he had.
Bella wasn't sure what to make of him.
Or the way Edward had reacted.
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Hello, Dear Readers!
Welcome to my chaotic corner of the internet.
So, let's get this out of the way—I did not come up with this entire story on my own. Not so Shocking, I know. This masterpiece is actually a Frankenstein's monster of ideas pulled from four or five different fanfictions, stitched together with love, caffeine, and a complete disregard for my sleep schedule. The result? This glorious mess of a fic.
Now, for those of you who read my previous novel and had very strong opinions about the mate bond and Alice being the love interest—congratulations! You've successfully bullied me into doing something different. I mean, not really, but let's pretend. This fic will be an entirely new take, so sit back, relax, and prepare for whatever nonsense I throw at you.
Also, a fair warning: I will be talking to you all at the end of every chapter. Whether you like it or not. Why? Because this is my fanfiction, and I make the rules. That's right—get ready for my unfiltered thoughts, random rants, and probably way too many unrelated tangents. If you're here for pure, uninterrupted storytelling, well... wrong place, buddy. But if you're here for the full experience of my unhinged commentary? You're in for a treat.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this fanfic! Or don't. Either way, I'm still writing it.(I mean who cares about your opinion . Atleast not me🤣🤣)
❤️❤️