After decades of drifting, you finally decided to settle down—again. This time in the small, perpetually gray town of Forks, Washington. The rain, the cloud cover, the seclusion… it was perfect. You never cared much for cities. Too many eyes. Too much noise. Forks was quiet. And quiet was safe.

You’d been a vampire for over a century—110 years, to be exact—but your appearance remained frozen at eighteen. Senior year, over and over again. You’d stopped counting how many times you’d walked school halls like this. But blending in was part of survival, and in a small town like this, skipping high school would raise more red flags than attending. Luckily, your gift made things easy: a simple touch of your power—manipulating thoughts and memories—and the staff believed your nonexistent parents had enrolled you and filled out all the forms themselves.

Your black 1976 Chevy Impala purred into the school parking lot, looking pristine and out of place among the sea of used sedans and old trucks. As you stepped out, dressed in dark jeans and a leather jacket that hugged your figure just right, heads turned. You were used to it. Beauty came with immortality. You didn’t spare them a glance.

By the time you’d gotten your schedule and found your locker, you’d already picked up the whispers—“new kid,” “total knockout,” “what’s her deal?” You answered politely when spoken to, even made a few “friends.” One girl, Ashley, had attached herself to you quickly, eager to show you around.

It wasn’t until lunch that things really shifted.

You and Ashley had just walked into the cafeteria when you felt it—a subtle shift in the air, like the moment before lightning strikes. Your eyes scanned the room and immediately locked on five figures sitting apart from the rest of the student body. Their skin was pale as moonlight, their eyes gold and watchful. They didn’t eat. They didn’t speak much. But they noticed you the second you walked in.

And you noticed them, too.

Vampires.

There was no mistaking it. They looked like you—beautiful, still, unnatural. For a second, the room seemed to quiet as you and the group exchanged glances from across the cafeteria. You felt the weight of their curiosity settle over you like a blanket.

“Who are they?” you asked, keeping your voice low as you and Ashley slid into an empty table.

She followed your gaze and let out a small laugh. “That’s the Cullens. They’re all adopted. That’s Edward, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie… and the blond one is Jasper.”

Your eyes paused on each of them in turn, but when they landed on Jasper, something unexpected happened.

He stiffened. Sat up straighter. His golden eyes locked onto yours and didn’t budge. You didn’t look away. Not right away.

And in that silent exchange, something passed between you—recognition, maybe. Or curiosity. Or something deeper.

The rest of the Cullens were watching too. You could feel their focus like pressure on your skin. Whispered thoughts exchanged. Silent communication. You wondered what they were sensing from you… and what you were sensing from him.

Jasper’s stare lingered a second longer, then he looked away—but not before his lips curved, just slightly.

A smirk. Barely there. But it was.

You turned your attention back to Ashley, pretending to be unfazed, but your mind was already racing.

So… this year might actually be interesting.