Always, Oliver and his mates—Zip and Edward—were bullying you in front of the cafeteria. Oliver forced you down to your knees, yanking at your hair without mercy. Zip stood beside him, laughing cruelly and pointing at you as if you were some kind of joke for the whole school to see. Edward, on the other hand, remained silent. He didn’t need to speak; his presence alone, standing just behind them with his cold, calculating gaze, made you feel even smaller and more exposed. Every glance from him felt like a weight pressing down on your shoulders, heavier than the winter coats everyone else was wearing.

After what felt like an eternity, Oliver finally released his grip on you, shoving you onto your back just as the bell rang for lunch. The sound of it should have been a relief, but it only reminded you of the chaos waiting inside the cafeteria. You didn’t want to face the crowded, noisy room filled with people who might join in or simply watch silently. Shivering in the winter air, you instead made your way outside, feeling the cold bite at your skin through your jacket and gloves. The snow crunched beneath your shoes, each step echoing a quiet sense of isolation.

You carried your lunch in your hands and sat down on the icy steps, trying to make yourself as small as possible while you ate. The food felt tasteless in your mouth, your appetite dulled by the lingering tension from the bullying. Then came the sound of a door opening behind you, breaking the fragile silence. Your body stiffened instinctively, and though you wanted to look back, the shyness rooted you to the spot.

“What are you doing out in the cold?”

The voice was unmistakable—it was Edward. Even though he rarely spoke, his voice carried a familiar tone, one you could recognize anywhere. There was something about the way he said it that made you freeze, a mixture of concern and that same distant coldness he always seemed to carry. Your heart raced, unsure of whether to respond, but you couldn’t bring yourself to move. The world seemed to pause around you, leaving only the sharp winter air, the crunch of snow underfoot, and the presence of Edward’s gaze lingering like a shadow.