Chapter 8 – The Encounter and the Table of Mysteries
The morning dragged on lazily as Bella Swan stepped into the biology classroom, the door clicking shut behind her. The cold fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow across the room. Metallic counters reflected the brightness in sterile streaks, and a faint, almost ghostly scent of formaldehyde lingered in the air like a memory. Clutching her books tightly against her chest, Bella took a slow, steadying breath, trying her best to stay calm and not overthink things.
That's when she saw him.
At the back of the classroom, seated with perfect stillness and an unreadable expression, was Edward Cullen. His eyes — golden yet strangely dark, intense in a way that made the air feel heavier — locked onto her the moment she entered. Bella froze for half a second, caught off guard by the sharpness of his gaze. A strange shiver traveled down her spine, and for a fleeting instant, it felt as if time itself had slowed, stretching into something surreal and dreamlike.
The teacher, Mr. Banner, looked up from his desk and called her name.
"Miss Swan, you can sit here," he said, motioning to the station beside Edward. "Edward, can you help her catch up?"
Bella gave a quick nod, forcing her legs to move as she made her way toward the only open seat. She slid into the stool beside Edward, doing her best not to seem nervous. But her hands trembled slightly as she set her books down.
"Hi," she said softly, hesitant.
Edward didn't respond immediately. He simply stared at her, eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were trying to solve an intricate riddle just by looking at her. The silence stretched, turning awkward, heavy. Bella looked down at the table, unsure of what to do. When she glanced at him again, she noticed how tightly clenched his fists were, the tension in his jaw evident. It was like he was battling some internal war she couldn't see.
Eventually, he turned his face away, still silent.
Bella bit her lip. What is going on with him? she wondered. The entire encounter was unsettling — like stepping into a scene halfway through a movie and realizing you missed something important.
Class went on. The teacher explained the lab they were starting, but Bella could barely concentrate. Her mind kept drifting back to Edward beside her. He didn't move. Not even a twitch. Occasionally, she stole glances at him, but he remained rigid, avoiding any form of eye contact. He looked like he was deliberately trying to ignore her presence, yet there was a strange energy in the air that made her believe otherwise.
When the bell rang, Edward disappeared. One moment he was there, the next he was gone, like a shadow slipping out the door. Bella blinked, confused, and gathered her things more slowly, her thoughts tangled in the mystery of what had just happened.
Lunchtime came. Bella made her way to the cafeteria alone, her footsteps echoing softly in the hallway. She grabbed a tray with food she barely noticed and scanned the noisy room, uncertain of where to sit. That's when she spotted two girls waving her over — Jessica Stanley and Angela Weber, whom she had met briefly the day before.
Grateful for the friendly faces, Bella joined them. The conversation picked up easily, the girls chatting about school life, teachers, and gossip. It didn't take long before the subject shifted to the town's most talked-about group.
"So…" Jessica leaned in, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Have you seen the Cullens yet?"
Bella nodded slowly, taking a sip of her juice before answering. "Edward Cullen is in my biology class."
Angela chuckled softly. "Oh boy. Brace yourself. He's... intense. Never talks to anyone, really. Always so quiet. But honestly, they're all kind of... different."
Jessica turned her head slightly, subtly pointing her chin toward the far corner of the cafeteria. Bella followed her gaze. Five students sat together at a table by the windows — too beautiful, too graceful, and too out of place. They looked more like a painting than real people.
"That's the Cullen family," Jessica whispered, as if speaking too loudly would attract their attention. "Rosalie and The big guy is Emmett. The girl with short hair is Alice. And of course… Edward."
Angela added in a softer tone, "They're all adopted by Dr. Cullen. But they keep to themselves. Never go to parties or hang out with anyone outside their group."
Bella studied them. Edward was there, eyes fixed on something distant — not her. But even without his gaze meeting hers, Bella felt that strange connection pulling at her. Something about him refused to leave her thoughts.
Before she could fall deeper into that mental fog, someone dropped into the seat beside her. Dante.
"So, ghost girl — how's your first day going?" he asked with a teasing grin, leaning back as if he belonged there all along.
Bella blinked, surprised. "Weird… Edward was really strange when I tried to get close."
Dante sighed internally. Man, there's no escaping this. I ask a simple question, and suddenly I'm in the middle of teenage vampire melodrama.
He shrugged. "Maybe he's just a pale guy who doesn't like women. That'd explain the whole dramatic silence."
But inside, Dante's mind was already racing. Wait a second… Edward can't read minds? That's good. That means my thoughts are safe — thanks to Acnologia's power, my mental defenses are solid. But what about my family? Should I toss them into a volcano just to be safe?
His train of thought derailed when he noticed someone watching him. Alice.
She was staring at him with wide eyes, completely still. A chill ran down Dante's spine. He stared back, then glanced at the guy supposed to be her partner — who was, at the moment, casually cuddling Rosalie like it was perfectly normal.
Crap, Dante thought. I'm officially in a Korean soap opera.
Alice continued to watch him. In her mind, one thought repeated: I've finally found you.
She remembered the first time she saw him — years ago, in a vision. A child touched by something ancient. Now, here he was, and she could finally reach out.
Dante looked away, exhaling slowly. Okay. I can't ignore her. Now that I know she's my companion, that bond is going to start kicking in. If she's ever in danger, I'll be the first one there to protect her. Just… one thing at a time.
For the rest of lunch, Dante remained quiet, watching, thinking.
When the final bell rang, he met up with Bella by the lockers and walked with her to the parking lot.
"Need a ride?" she offered.
"Sure," he said, hopping into the passenger seat like it was already routine.
As Bella drove, she kept replaying the strange moment with Edward. None of it made sense, and the more she thought about it, the more confused she felt.
Dante, meanwhile, stared silently out the window, thoughts churning. He knew that from this day forward, his life was no longer simple — it was tangled in the mystery of the Cullens, the secrets of vampires…
…and in the golden eyes of someone who had waited a long, long time to find him.
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