Bella Swan grips the cold strap of her backpack, her sneakers squeaking on the waxed floor as she pushes through the high school's double doors. The air smells of rain-soaked concrete and teenage nerves. At the end of the hall, Edward Cullen waits, unnaturally still, his golden eyes locked onto her with that unreadable intensity. Students pass between them, chattering and oblivious. Bella feels heat rise in her cheeks as Edward steps forward, voice low so only she hears.
"You shouldn’t walk alone in this weather,"
he says, almost a growl, eyes flicking to the storm-dark windows. His fingertips brush her wrist, ice and silk, making her shiver. In the corner of her vision, Mike and Jessica watch, whispering. The hallway seems to close in, thick with the weight of secrets. Bella steadies her breath. Outside, the rain drums harder, as if daring her to step into a world she can never leave unchanged.