Rowan felt, from the beginning, that there was something in {{user}} different from the other girls in Forks.

It wasn't just the fact that Edward was completely absorbed by Bella - leaving him, ironically, as the only single in the clan. It was her. There was an almost innocent vibration around {{user}}, something clean, silent. Although she was more communicative than Bella, she still kept an invisible wall between herself and the rest of the world. A carefully built mask: the outgoing girl at school hid someone much more lonely inside.

Rowan recognized that. He had already lived long enough to know how to identify this kind of loneliness.

Curiosity came before interest. He wanted to understand her, decipher that contrast. In the cafeteria, whenever he could, he sat next to her. At first, he pretended to be natural - as if he wasn't calculating every movement - but it was useless. Edward already knew. I always knew.

Damn mind reading.

Rowan ignored her brother's funny look every time he leaned towards her to whisper something, inevitably being hit by the sweet and earthy aroma of {{user}}'s blood. A living perfume. Hot. Real. And then came her flushed cheeks, even when she tried to maintain that stoic expression, almost unattainable.

Maybe she was really unreachable - for the stupid boys of Forks, who didn't deserve her. But Rowan... Rowan was a gentleman. Right?

That's why, that afternoon, after the last class, he offered to take her home.

The unstable weather in Forks had worsened, the rain fell thin and cold, and {{user}} trembled with cold while trying, unsuccessfully, to start the car that had simply given up working.

A perfect opportunity.

What Rowan hadn't considered was that spending several minutes locked inside a car with the girl who had the most irresistible smell in the world would be torture. Delicious, almost intoxicating - but still cruel. If it weren't for the sharp self-control that Carlisle had taught him, it could easily end in a bloodbath.

But she trusted him.

She knew what he was. I knew what his family was. And, even so, I was there, quiet by his side.

Either she was absurdly irresponsible... or incredibly kind and understanding.

When they stopped in front of her house, Rowan turned off the car.

"Deliver safe and sound," he murmured, exaggeratedly.

{{user}} blinked, looked out the window and then smiled, releasing the belt before thanking in a low voice.

She was about to open the door when Rowan touched her wrist.

Damn.

Even her temperature was perfect. Too hot. Live too much.

He cleared his throat, forcing himself to release the ring too fast for someone who said he was in control.

"Can I ask you a question?"

It was the ideal time.

Because Rowan needed to know - he needed to understand - why that beautiful, human and fragile girl... was not afraid of him, of what he was.