AP History with Mr. Varner turned out to be exactly as advertised—the man clearly loved his subject and had the kind of enthusiasm for historical analysis that made even the most reluctant students pay attention. Veer had managed to secure a seat near the back of the classroom, partly for strategic visibility and partly because his enhanced senses made him acutely aware that he was attracting an unusual amount of attention.
The whispered conversations weren't exactly subtle.
"Is that really Charlie Swan's nephew?"
"He looks like he should be modeling for magazines..."
"Do you think he has a girlfriend back in Phoenix?"
Veer kept his expression neutral and focused on Mr. Varner's discussion of the causes leading to World War I, though part of his attention was cataloging the various scents and sounds that marked this as a perfectly normal human classroom. No vampires in AP History, apparently. That would come later.
He was taking notes on the complex web of European alliances when the classroom door opened and a latecomer slipped inside. Mr. Varner paused his lecture with the mild irritation of a teacher whose flow had been interrupted.
"Miss Mallory," he said with patient resignation. "How kind of you to join us."
The girl who'd entered was undeniably striking—platinum blonde hair that fell in perfect waves, the kind of carefully applied makeup that suggested significant morning preparation time, and clothing that pushed the boundaries of the school dress code without technically violating it. But there was something about her that immediately set Veer's instincts on edge.
Maybe it was the calculating way her eyes swept the classroom, assessing and dismissing most of her classmates before landing on him with unmistakable interest. Maybe it was the predatory smile that crossed her lips when she spotted the empty desk directly in front of him. Or maybe it was just that she looked disturbingly similar to someone from his previous life—someone whose legal battles and public meltdowns had dominated headlines for months.
*Amber Heard vibes,* he thought grimly. *Fantastic.*
Lauren Mallory made her way to the empty desk with the kind of deliberate hip movement that was clearly meant to draw attention. When she settled into her seat, she immediately twisted around to face him, completely ignoring Mr. Varner's continued lecture.
"Hi," she said in a breathy whisper that somehow managed to carry sexual undertones. "I don't think we've met. I'm Lauren."
"Veer," he replied politely but distantly, keeping his eyes on his notes.
"Veer," she repeated, drawing out the syllables like she was tasting them. "That's... exotic. I love exotic." Her smile was the kind that probably worked on most teenage boys—sultry, inviting, full of promise.
"It's Indian," he said simply, hoping that brief answers would discourage further conversation.
"Indian," Lauren purred, leaning closer so that her perfume—something expensive and aggressively floral—washed over him. "How fascinating. I bet you have so many interesting stories about growing up somewhere so... different."
*Phoenix is hardly exotic,* Veer thought, but didn't bother correcting her assumption. Instead, he glanced meaningfully toward the front of the classroom where Mr. Varner was drawing alliance diagrams on the whiteboard.
"We should probably pay attention to the lesson," he suggested.
Lauren's laugh was like wind chimes in a hurricane—technically musical but somehow unpleasant. "Oh, don't worry about old Varner. He recycles the same lectures every year. I could teach this class myself by now."
She leaned even closer, and Veer found himself pressing back in his chair to maintain some personal space. Her eyes were bright blue, he noticed, but there was something calculating behind them that made his protective instincts hum with unease.
"So," she continued, apparently immune to social cues, "what brings you to our little town? Forks isn't exactly a destination hot spot for gorgeous guys from the big city."
*Gorgeous guys.* Right. Because subtlety was clearly not in Lauren's vocabulary.
"Family," Veer said shortly. "My uncle lives here."
"Charlie Swan," Lauren said with satisfaction, clearly pleased with herself for making the connection. "The police chief. How... authoritative." The way she said it made it sound like she found the idea exciting rather than merely informative.
Mr. Varner's voice cut through their whispered conversation with the kind of projected authority that teachers developed after years of dealing with distracted students.
"Miss Mallory, Mr. Dwyer, perhaps you'd like to share your thoughts on the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand with the rest of the class?"
Lauren didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed. Instead, she shot Veer a look that was somehow meant to be conspiratorial, as if they were sharing some kind of intimate moment instead of being called out for rudeness.
"Actually," Veer said, sitting forward slightly, "I was just thinking about how the assassination was really just the spark that lit a powder keg that had been building for decades. The alliance system created a situation where one regional conflict could cascade into a world war almost inevitably."
Mr. Varner's expression shifted from mild irritation to genuine interest. "Elaborate on that."
"Well, you had the Triple Alliance on one side and the Triple Entente on the other, but those formal alliances were just the surface level. Underneath, you had economic rivalries, colonial competition, and nationalist movements that had been creating tensions for years." Veer found himself warming to the topic, genuinely interested despite the distraction of Lauren's continued staring. "Franz Ferdinand's assassination was tragic, but if it hadn't been that specific event, something else would have triggered the war eventually. The system was inherently unstable."
"Excellent analysis," Mr. Varner said with obvious approval. "That's exactly the kind of thinking that separates good students from great ones."
Lauren, meanwhile, was looking at Veer with an expression that could only be described as naked hunger. The fact that he'd just demonstrated intelligence seemed to have inflamed rather than dampened her interest.
*Great,* he thought. *She's one of those girls who finds brains sexy. Which would be flattering if she weren't giving off every red flag my instincts have ever developed.*
For the rest of the class, Veer did his best to focus on the lesson while Lauren continued her campaign of aggressive flirtation. She "accidentally" dropped her pen multiple times, each retrieval involving strategic positioning that showed off her assets. She asked him to explain concepts she clearly already understood, using each question as an excuse to lean closer and make more intimate contact.
By the time the bell rang, Veer felt like he'd been through a masterclass in psychological warfare disguised as teenage courtship.
"Walk me to my next class?" Lauren asked as they gathered their things, her voice pitched to sound casual but her body language suggesting the question was anything but optional.
"Actually, I need to check something with Mr. Varner," Veer said, which was completely untrue but offered a convenient escape route.
Lauren's smile faltered slightly, but she recovered quickly. "Of course. Maybe I'll see you at lunch?"
"Maybe," he said noncommittally, already moving toward Mr. Varner's desk.
She left with one final meaningful look over her shoulder, and Veer felt his tension ease slightly.
"Interesting first day?" Mr. Varner asked with mild amusement, clearly having observed at least part of the interaction.
"More interesting than I expected," Veer replied honestly.
"Word of advice? Lauren Mallory is... persistent. She tends to set her sights on whatever she perceives as the most desirable target and doesn't give up easily."
"Thanks for the warning."
"Don't mention it. And Mr. Dwyer? That analysis of the pre-war alliance system was genuinely impressive. I hope you'll continue to contribute to class discussions."
"Absolutely," Veer said, meaning it. Despite the Lauren situation, he'd actually enjoyed the intellectual engagement.
As he left the classroom, Veer reflected on his first taste of high school social dynamics in this universe. If Lauren was representative of the kind of attention he was going to attract, things were going to get complicated quickly.
And that was before the vampires even entered the picture.
*One crisis at a time,* he reminded himself. *First, survive until lunch. Then worry about cosmic destiny and supernatural romance.*
But as he walked toward his next class, he caught a glimpse of Lauren talking animatedly to a group of her friends near the lockers. Their expressions suggested they were receiving a detailed briefing on the new arrival, and the looks they shot in his direction were speculative and predatory.
*Wonderful,* he thought. *I've apparently been marked as prey by the mean girls. This is going to be fun.*
At least, he consoled himself, vampires were probably easier to deal with than teenage social politics.
Probably.
—
The Forks High cafeteria was exactly as underwhelming as Veer had expected—fluorescent lighting that made everyone look vaguely ill, the lingering scent of industrial-grade pizza sauce, and the kind of acoustic properties that turned normal conversation into a dull roar. He grabbed a tray and moved through the lunch line with practiced efficiency, selecting items that looked least likely to cause food poisoning.
Spotting Bella at a table near the windows, he made his way over, noting that she'd already been absorbed into what appeared to be the local social ecosystem. Five other students clustered around her with the kind of eager attention that marked her as either fascinating or simply new enough to be interesting.
"Mind if I join?" he asked, setting his tray down.
"Please," Bella said, and her relief was palpable. "Everyone, this is my cousin Veer. Veer, this is... everyone."
The introductions came in a rush. Mike Newton, a baby-faced blonde with the kind of enthusiastic friendliness that suggested he'd never met a stranger, immediately brightened with interest. Eric Yorkie, dark-haired and earnest behind wire-rimmed glasses, looked like he was already composing mental interview questions. Angela Weber offered a genuinely warm smile that marked her as someone actually worth knowing.
Jessica Stanley leaned forward with obvious curiosity, her dark eyes bright with the prospect of fresh gossip. And to Veer's horror, Lauren Mallory was there too, having apparently inserted herself into the group sometime between AP History and lunch.
"So you're Bella's cousin," Mike said, his tone suggesting he was recalibrating his romantic strategies. "That's cool. Are you guys close?"
"Close enough," Veer replied, settling into his chair. "We've been living in the same house for the past few years."
"Wait," Jessica interrupted, her journalistic instincts clearly activated. "How does that work, exactly? I mean..." She gestured vaguely between Bella's pale complexion and Veer's distinctly Indian features. "You don't exactly look like family."
"Jessica," Angela said with gentle reproof, but Bella waved her off.
"It's fine. We get that question a lot." She glanced at Veer, and they fell into the familiar rhythm of a story they'd told many times. "My mom Renee and Veer's mom Marie were sisters. Marie was... adventurous. She went to India after college to 'find herself'—you know how it is."
"She was doing the whole backpacking-through-Asia thing," Veer picked up the narrative. "Very eat-pray-love, except this was the early 2000s, so it was less trendy and more genuinely crazy. She met my father in Mumbai—he was a local businessman, and apparently it was this intense, passionate love affair."
"Like something out of a movie," Bella added with a slight smile.
"Right up until the accident," Veer's voice grew quieter. "Car crash. Dad died when I was still... well, when I wasn't born yet. Mom was devastated, came back to the States, only to discover she was pregnant."
The table had gone quiet, the kind of respectful silence that accompanied tragic backstories.
"She named me Veer—it means 'brave' in Hindi," he continued. "But she got sick when I was three. Breast cancer. By the time I was old enough to remember her clearly, she was already gone."
"That's terrible," Angela said softly.
"Renee took me in," Veer finished. "Has been my mom in every way that matters ever since. So Bella and I grew up together, basically as siblings."
"That's actually really sweet," Jessica said, her expression softer than usual. "I mean, not the tragic part, but the family taking care of each other part."
Lauren, meanwhile, was studying Veer with renewed interest, as if his tragic backstory had somehow made him even more appealing. "That must have been so hard," she purred, reaching across the table to touch his hand. "Growing up without your real parents."
Veer gently extracted his hand from her grasp. "Renee is my real parent," he said firmly. "Biology doesn't determine family."
Before Lauren could respond with what was undoubtedly going to be another inappropriate comment, the cafeteria's ambient noise level shifted. Conversations didn't exactly stop, but they became more subdued, more aware. Veer looked toward the entrance and felt his enhanced senses suddenly snap to full attention.
*Here we go.*
The Cullens entered like something out of a supernatural fashion magazine—beautiful, graceful, and completely unaware of or indifferent to the way every eye in the cafeteria tracked their movement. But there weren't five of them as Veer had expected from the movies.
There were eight.
Edward Cullen led the group, his bronze hair catching the fluorescent light, moving with that characteristic careful restraint that marked all the vampire characters. Alice danced along beside him, her pixie features bright with some private amusement. Jasper followed with his wary, tactical awareness, and behind him came the familiar figures of Rosalie and Emmett—she devastating and imperious, he cheerful and massive.
But there were three others, three that Veer had never seen in any movie or read about in any book.
The redhead walking beside Edward had the same refined bone structure, the same elegant bearing, but with an additional layer of what could only be described as old-world sophistication. Her copper hair fell in perfect waves past her shoulders, and when she moved, it was with the kind of fluid precision that spoke of centuries of practice. She looked exactly like Madelaine Petsch from Riverdale, but with an otherworldly perfection that made the actress seem like a rough draft.
The brunette bouncing alongside Emmett was clearly his counterpart—compact but radiating the same barely contained energy that marked her apparent twin. Her auburn hair caught the light with red highlights, and her smile held the promise of either great fun or spectacular trouble. She was a dead ringer for Danielle Rose Russell, but with an additional layer of supernatural magnetism that made it hard to look away.
And the blonde walking with Jasper...
Veer's breath actually caught in his throat.
She moved with tactical grace that matched her apparent twin, but where Jasper carried himself like a soldier expecting attack, she moved like a predator confident in her dominance. Her honey-blonde hair fell in perfect waves, framing features that were both sweet and sharp. She looked exactly like Sydney Sweeney, but elevated to supernatural perfection—the kind of beauty that made mortal men write epic poems and start wars.
*Well,* he thought, his mouth suddenly dry. *That's inconvenient.*
"Who are they?" Bella asked, though her question was directed at Jessica, who was clearly the group's primary source of social intelligence.
Jessica launched into her explanation with obvious relish. "Those are the Cullens. They're Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's adopted kids. The big dark-haired guy is Emmett, and the blonde beauty queen is Rosalie—they're together, which is gross because they're technically siblings, but they're not actually related so I guess it's legal."
She pointed toward the middle of the group. "The little dark-haired girl is Alice, and she's with Jasper—he's the blonde guy who looks like he's in pain all the time. And the redhead is Edythe Cullen, she's Edward's twin sister. Edward's the bronze-haired one who never talks to anyone."
"What about the other blonde?" Veer asked, though he was trying to keep his voice casual. "And the brunette?"
"Oh, that's Eleanor Cullen—she's Emmett's twin sister. Total sweetheart, but don't arm-wrestle her unless you want your pride shattered. And the blonde bombshell is Jessamyn Hale. She, Jasper, and Rosalie are supposedly triplets, but honestly, genetics would have to be having a really good day for that to work out."
As Jessica talked, Veer found his attention drawn irresistibly to the three newcomers. And as he watched, he realized they were watching him back.
Edythe's golden eyes met his across the cafeteria, and for a moment, the refined mask slipped to reveal something that looked like recognition mixed with wonder. Jessamyn was studying him with the kind of tactical assessment that should have been intimidating but somehow felt like appreciation. And Eleanor was grinning at him with undisguised delight, as if she'd just discovered the answer to a particularly entertaining puzzle.
*They know,* he realized. *Whatever Alice saw, whatever cosmic joke the universe is playing, they already know about it.*
His enhanced hearing, powered by divine strength, cut through the cafeteria's ambient noise and focused on the Cullens' table. Their conversation was conducted in voices too low for human hearing, but perfectly audible to him.
"He's even more beautiful than the vision showed," Edythe was saying, her refined voice carrying undertones of something that sounded dangerously close to reverence.
"Look at those eyes," Eleanor added with characteristic enthusiasm. "Gold flecks. I wonder if they glow when he's using his power."
"They do," Alice confirmed with satisfaction. "Among other things."
"Other things?" Jessamyn's voice held tactical interest. "What kind of other things?"
"The kind you'll discover for yourselves," Alice replied mysteriously. "Some surprises are better experienced than explained."
Edward, meanwhile, was rubbing his temples with obvious frustration. "I still can't hear either of them. It's like they don't exist, mentally speaking."
"Good," Edythe said firmly. "The last thing we need is you accidentally narrating our every thought to the family dinner table."
"Especially considering some of the thoughts I'm having," Eleanor added with a grin that would have made lesser beings flee in terror.
"Eleanor," Jasper warned, though his tone was more amused than concerned.
"What? I'm just saying, if we're going to share him, we might as well be honest about why we want to."
*Share him.*
The words hit Veer like a bolt of divine lightning. Whatever cosmic destiny Alice had seen, it apparently involved all three of them. At the same time. Together.
His brain performed rapid calculations involving supernatural strength, vampire durability, and human male psychology, and came to the conclusion that this was either the best fate imaginable or a recipe for spectacular disaster.
*Probably both,* he decided.
"So," he said carefully, rejoining the conversation at his own table, "they don't really socialize with the rest of the school?"
"Never," Jessica confirmed. "They sit together, they leave together, and they barely acknowledge that the rest of us exist. It's like they think they're too good for us mere mortals."
*If only she knew how literally accurate that assessment was.*
"They're not snobs," Angela protested gently. "They're just... private. And they're all really smart. Like, intimidatingly smart."
"Plus," Mike added with the tone of someone who'd given this considerable thought, "have you ever noticed how they never seem to eat anything? They just sit there and move food around on their trays."
"That's because they're probably all suffering from some kind of eating disorder," Lauren said with obvious malice. "All that perfection has to come from somewhere."
Veer found himself bristling at the casual cruelty in her voice. "Or maybe they just have different dietary requirements," he said mildly.
*Like human blood, for instance.*
"Different dietary requirements?" Lauren laughed, and the sound was sharp enough to cut glass. "What, are they all vampires or something?"
The irony was so perfect that Veer nearly choked on his water. "Something like that," he managed.
As lunch period wound down, Veer found himself stealing glances at the Cullen table with increasing frequency. The three sisters were making no attempt to hide their interest in him, which was both flattering and mildly terrifying. Edythe's refined elegance suggested centuries of experience with complicated situations. Eleanor's infectious enthusiasm promised either great adventures or spectacular catastrophes. And Jessamyn's tactical assessment made him feel like prey being evaluated by an apex predator.
*This is going to be complicated,* he realized.
But as he watched Eleanor catch his eye and grin with undisguised delight, as he felt the weight of Edythe's measured attention, as he registered the way Jessamyn's tactical assessment had shifted into something that looked distinctly possessive, Veer found himself smiling back.
After all, he'd been reborn into this universe for a reason. And if that reason involved three supernatural beauties who apparently came with cosmic approval, well...
There were worse fates than being desired by vampires who looked like they'd stepped out of his deepest fantasies.
Even if he still had no idea how the whole thing was supposed to work logistically.
*One crisis at a time,* he reminded himself. *First, survive the rest of the school day. Then figure out how to date three vampires without accidentally revealing that you're a divine avatar with mountain-moving strength.*
But as the lunch bell rang and the cafeteria began to empty, Veer caught one more exchange from the Cullen table that made his stomach flip with anticipation.
"So when do we introduce ourselves?" Eleanor was asking with barely contained excitement.
"Soon," Alice replied with satisfaction. "Very soon."
*Well,* Veer thought as he gathered his things. *This should be interesting.*
Behind him, Lauren was already planning her next approach, Mike was debating whether the new guy represented competition, and Jessica was mentally cataloging gossip potential.
But across the cafeteria, three vampire sisters were preparing for the most complicated courtship in supernatural history.
And somewhere in the cosmic balance of things, a divine avatar was about to discover that even gods could be caught off guard by love.
The afternoon was shaping up to be memorable.
—
# AP Biology: Where Everything Changes
The AP Biology classroom was located in the newer wing of the school, with large windows that should have provided decent natural light if the Pacific Northwest sky had been cooperating. Instead, the persistent overcast turned everything a muted gray-green, making the fluorescent lighting seem harsh and artificial.
Veer arrived a few minutes early, partly from habit and partly because he wanted to scope out the room before things got complicated. The lab tables were arranged in pairs, black-topped surfaces equipped with microscopes, Bunsen burners, and the other equipment that marked this as a serious science classroom rather than a general education requirement.
He was scanning the seating options when the door opened and Bella entered, looking slightly frazzled from navigating the school's layout.
"Please tell me you saved me a seat," she said, approaching with visible relief.
"Always," Veer replied, gesturing to the lab table he'd claimed near the middle of the room. "Though fair warning—I have a feeling this class is going to be more interesting than the usual biology experience."
"Why do you say that?"
Before he could answer, the classroom's energy shifted in that subtle way that marked the arrival of supernatural beings. The Cullen siblings entered with their characteristic fluid grace, and Veer felt his enhanced senses immediately catalog their presence.
Edward came first, his bronze hair slightly disheveled, golden eyes scanning the room with that careful wariness that marked all the vampire characters. Alice bounced along beside him, her pixie features bright with anticipation. Behind them came the three sisters, and Veer felt his mouth go dry all over again.
Edythe moved with refined elegance, her copper hair catching the artificial light. Eleanor practically radiated barely contained energy, her auburn hair slightly mussed as if she'd been running her fingers through it. And Jessamyn...
*Sweet divine intervention,* Veer thought as she entered the classroom. *I'm in trouble.*
She moved with tactical precision, honey-blonde hair falling in perfect waves past her shoulders, but there was something about her bearing that suggested controlled power rather than mere grace. Her golden eyes swept the classroom, cataloging exits and potential threats with the kind of automatic assessment that spoke of extensive training. When her gaze found his, she smiled—not the predatory expression he might have expected from a vampire, but something warmer, more genuinely pleased.
*And that's just her looking at me. Wait until she actually talks.*
Mr. Banner, the biology teacher, entered with the kind of harried energy that suggested he'd been dealing with administrative nonsense all morning. He was a thin, energetic man who clearly loved his subject, if the enthusiasm in his voice was any indication.
"Alright, people, settle down. We've got new students today, and I want to get everyone properly situated before we dive into our unit on cellular respiration."
He consulted his roster with the efficiency of someone who'd done this many times before. "Isabella Swan, you'll be working with Edward Cullen at table three. Veer Dwyer, you're with Jessamyn Hale at table seven."
Veer felt his pulse kick up a notch as he glanced toward table seven, where Jessamyn was already settling in with fluid grace. She caught his look and smiled again, this time with just enough warmth to make his stomach flip.
*Cosmic destiny, divine powers, and the most beautiful woman I've ever seen,* he thought as he gathered his things. *This is either going to be amazing or it's going to kill me.*
*Probably both.*
As he moved toward table seven, Veer caught a glimpse of the interaction beginning at table three. Edward had gone completely rigid, his entire body radiating tension as Bella approached. His golden eyes were fixed on her with an expression that looked torn between wonder and horror, and his hands were clenched so tightly on the lab table that Veer could hear the faint creak of stressed materials.
*Right on schedule,* Veer observed. *Poor Edward's about to discover what it's like when a century of careful control meets cosmic destiny.*
But his attention was quickly claimed by more immediate concerns as he settled into the chair beside Jessamyn. Up close, she was even more devastating than she'd been from across the cafeteria. Her skin had that flawless, marble-like quality that marked all the vampires, but there was warmth in her golden eyes that suggested depths beneath the supernatural perfection.
"Well, hey there, sugar," she said, and her voice hit him like a physical force.
The Texas drawl was subtle but unmistakable, warm honey poured over steel, with just enough of a Southern lilt to make every word sound like an invitation. It was the kind of voice that could make grocery lists sound seductive, and when applied to actual conversation, it was absolutely lethal.
*I'm dead,* Veer realized with crystalline clarity. *Completely, utterly, cosmically dead.*
"Hi," he managed, trying to keep his voice steady and probably failing. "I'm Veer."
"Jessamyn," she replied, extending a hand that was cool to the touch but somehow managed to generate enough heat to make his skin tingle. "Though most folks just call me Jess. Pleasure to meet you, darlin'."
*Darlin'.* She called him darlin' in that honeyed drawl, and Veer felt his higher brain functions temporarily short-circuit.
"The pleasure's definitely mine," he said, and was pleased to note that his voice came out relatively normal despite the fact that his internal monologue was basically just screaming.
Jessamyn's smile widened, and there was something in her golden eyes that suggested she was perfectly aware of the effect she was having on him. Not in a predatory way, exactly, but with the kind of pleased satisfaction that suggested she approved of his reaction.
"So," she said, leaning slightly closer as Mr. Banner began distributing worksheets, "Alice mentioned you might be joining our little neck of the woods permanently. What brings you to beautiful, sunny Forks?"
Her tone was light, conversational, but Veer caught the undercurrent of genuine interest. This wasn't just small talk—she actually wanted to know.
"Family," he said, which was true as far as it went. "My uncle Charlie thought Bella and I might benefit from a change of scenery."
"And how are you finding it so far?" Jessamyn asked, accepting their worksheet from Mr. Banner with a polite smile that was entirely different from the warmer expression she'd been directing at Veer.
"More interesting than I expected," Veer replied honestly. "The social dynamics here are... complex."
Jessamyn's laugh was like silver bells wrapped in velvet. "Sugar, you have no idea. This place makes Game of Thrones look like a documentary about functional family relationships."
Despite himself, Veer laughed. "That's... actually a pretty accurate assessment."
"Stick around long enough, darlin', and you'll see what I mean." Jessamyn's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Though something tells me you might just shake things up a bit yourself."
Before Veer could ask what she meant by that, Mr. Banner launched into his explanation of the day's lab exercise. They were supposed to be examining cellular structures under microscopes, identifying different organelles and their functions. It was the kind of routine lab work that should have been straightforward and boring.
Except that Veer was partnered with a vampire who apparently found cellular biology as amusing as he found her accent devastating.
"You know," Jessamyn said quietly as they prepared their slides, "most folks find this kind of thing pretty dry. But you look like you're actually interested."
"I am," Veer admitted, adjusting the microscope's focus. "There's something fascinating about how complex life is at the cellular level. All these tiny structures working together to create something as complicated as consciousness or..."
He paused, realizing he'd been about to say something about divine power and supernatural transformation.
"Or?" Jessamyn prompted, and her voice held genuine curiosity.
"Or just the ability to sit in a biology classroom and have conversations with beautiful women who are way out of my league," he finished with a self-deprecating smile.
Jessamyn's expression shifted, becoming suddenly serious. "Honey," she said, and her drawl deepened with what sounded like sincere conviction, "you are definitely not out of anyone's league. Trust me on that."
The way she said it made Veer look up from the microscope, meeting her golden eyes directly. For a moment, the casual flirtation dropped away, replaced by something that looked like recognition mixed with something deeper.
*She means it,* he realized. *Whatever Alice saw, whatever cosmic destiny is at work here, she's already feeling it.*
"Jessamyn," he said quietly, "can I ask you something?"
"Anything, sugar."
"Do you ever get the feeling that some meetings aren't entirely coincidental? Like the universe has been setting things up for a while, and we just finally reached the point where all the pieces fell into place?"
Jessamyn went very still, the kind of supernatural stillness that happened when vampires felt strong emotions. When she spoke again, her voice was soft but intense.
"Every day for the past week," she admitted. "Ever since Alice started getting... feelings... about changes coming to Forks."
*Alice's visions,* Veer thought. *She's been preparing them for this.*
"And how do you feel about changes?" he asked.
Jessamyn's smile was like sunrise after a long night. "Darlin', I've been waiting my whole existence for the right kind of change."
Before Veer could respond to that loaded statement, a sharp crack from table three drew everyone's attention. Edward had apparently squeezed his pencil hard enough to snap it in half, and his entire posture radiated barely controlled tension. Bella was staring at him with a mixture of concern and confusion, clearly trying to figure out what she'd done to earn such an intense reaction.
"Poor Edward," Jessamyn murmured, following Veer's gaze. "Boy's about to have his whole world turned upside down."
"And that doesn't concern you?" Veer asked, genuinely curious. "Your... brother... being that affected by someone?"
"Sugar," Jessamyn said with warm amusement, "Edward's been wound tighter than a two-dollar watch for decades. If that sweet little girl can shake him loose from some of that control, I say more power to her."
"Even if it makes things complicated for your family?"
"Honey," Jessamyn's drawl deepened with obvious affection, "complicated is what this family does best. We wouldn't know what to do with simple if it came with an instruction manual."
As they returned to their lab work, Veer found himself stealing glances at his lab partner with increasing frequency. Everything about Jessamyn was designed to appeal to him specifically—the tactical competence, the warm humor, the steel wrapped in silk approach to life. She was deadly and nurturing at the same time, sophisticated enough to appreciate complexity but direct enough to cut through nonsense.
*And that accent,* he thought as she explained cellular respiration with the kind of easy competence that suggested centuries of accumulated knowledge. *She could read the phone book and make it sound like poetry.*
"You're staring, darlin'," Jessamyn observed without looking up from her microscope.
"Sorry," Veer said, not particularly sorry at all. "I'm just trying to figure out how someone ends up with an accent like yours in the Pacific Northwest."
"Born and raised in Texas," Jessamyn replied easily. "Jasper and I moved around a lot after we were... adopted... but some things just stick with you, you know?"
*The Civil War,* Veer thought, remembering Jasper's backstory from the books. *She's probably older than she looks by about a century and a half.*
"Texas suits you," he said instead. "The accent, I mean. It's... warm. Welcoming."
"Why, thank you kindly," Jessamyn said with exaggerated sweetness, but her eyes were sparkling with genuine pleasure. "Though I have to say, you've got a pretty appealing voice yourself. Very... soothing."
"Soothing?"
"Like you could talk someone through a crisis without them even realizing how scared they were," she explained. "It's a gift."
Before Veer could process that particular compliment, the lab period was winding down. Mr. Banner was collecting worksheets and reminding everyone about upcoming assignments, and students were gathering their things with the usual end-of-class energy.
"Same time tomorrow?" Jessamyn asked as they cleaned up their workspace.
"Looking forward to it," Veer replied, meaning every word.
As they parted ways—Jessamyn gliding toward where her sisters were waiting, Veer gathering his things more slowly—he caught one final exchange that made his pulse quicken.
"How'd it go, sugar?" Eleanor's voice carried clearly to his enhanced hearing.
"Even better than Alice predicted," Jessamyn replied, her drawl warm with satisfaction. "That boy is something special."
"I can see why the universe picked him for us," Edythe added with refined approval.
*For us.* Plural. All three of them.
As Veer left the biology classroom, his mind was racing with possibilities, complications, and the growing certainty that his new life in Forks was about to become infinitely more interesting than he'd ever imagined.
Behind him, three vampire sisters were beginning to plan a courtship that would redefine the concept of supernatural romance.
And somewhere in the cosmic balance of things, destiny was settling into place with the satisfied purr of a plan finally coming together.
The afternoon was just getting started.
---
Hey fellow fanfic enthusiasts!
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Whether you loved it, hated it, or have some constructive criticism, your feedback is super important to me. Feel free to drop a comment or send me a message with your thoughts. Can't wait to hear from you!
If you're passionate about fanfiction and love discussing stories, characters, and plot twists, then you're in the right place! I've created a Discord (HHHwRsB6wd) server dedicated to diving deep into the world of fanfiction, especially my own stories. Whether you're a reader, a writer, or just someone who enjoys a good tale, I welcome you to join us for lively discussions, feedback sessions, and maybe even some sneak peeks into upcoming chapters, along with artwork related to the stories. Let's nerd out together over our favorite fandoms and explore the endless possibilities of storytelling!
Can't wait to see you there!