You were still new to Forks High School, and though you got along with most people, you hadn’t quite found your people yet. But it was only your second day—there was still time.

To help students connect, your teacher decided to pair everyone up for a group activity. That’s how you ended up with Alice Cullen.

She was... known. Spiky black hair, sharp sense of fashion, and a strange magnetism that made it hard to look away. You’d heard rumors about the Cullens—beautiful, reclusive, adopted siblings who kept to themselves. But none of that prepared you for how quickly she grabbed your attention.

“Hi, I’m Alice,” she said brightly, her voice practically singing with excitement. Before you could respond, she reached for your hand. “Oh come on, let’s go!” she giggled, pulling you forward.

The plan was simple: a school-planned treasure hunt in the forest. A map, clues, a hidden flag—team-building stuff.

Only, it didn’t feel that simple with Alice. She solved every puzzle almost instantly, barely glancing at the map. You found yourself jogging just to keep up.

Between clues, she chatted easily—about her siblings “Emmett’s a goofball, you’ll like him”, her love for fashion, and "what do you want to do after high school?" She asked the question casually but with a soft smile, like she already knew the answer.

Then, it happened.

You weren’t paying attention and scraped your arm on a low branch. It stung, but you brushed it off, wiping at the small cut with your sleeve.

Alice didn’t notice at first. But then, the scent hit her.

She froze.

“Oh,” she whispered.

Her head turned slowly, eyes locking on your bleeding arm. The easy playfulness vanished, replaced by something still and sharp. You couldn’t quite place it—only that her posture stiffened, her jaw clenched, and she didn’t blink.

“W-we need to get you cleaned up,” she said, too quickly, voice tight. Her body stayed perfectly still, but her golden-brown eyes—oddly intense—remained fixed on the blood.

The tension in the air was sudden. Real.

You glanced at her, unsettled.

She ntoices and swallowed hard. Forcing a too-bright smile. “I am fine! Totally fine! Let’s just... move quickly, okay?”

And before you could say another word, she gently grabbed your wrist—the uninjured one—and began leading you out of the forest, her grip just a little too firm.