depressed vampire and reborn girl

by anilovemil08

Summary:

a vampire who doesn't believe in love, depressed and sad.

a girl reincarnated in twilight.

an epic love

Chapter 1

"My name used to be Elizabeth Jones. An ordinary girl, with an easy laugh and a tender heart. Since I was little, I was energetic, affectionate, and curious about the world. I grew up surrounded by Barbie drawings, simple birthday parties, and the warm smiles of my mother, Penelope.

But the world isn't kind to the good ones. At 19, a ferocious bacterium lodged itself in my stomach, silently eroding my health. I remember every detail: the hospital smelling of antiseptic, the white lights blinding me, and the fear—the absurd fear of death. I was trembling.

My mother, with teary eyes and still trying to smile, held my hand and whispered:

— When you wake up, we'll go to the beach. I'll buy your favorite burger, and we'll eat sitting on the sand like we used to, remember?

I laughed. God, how I laughed, even with the pain. But I didn't wake up in that life. Elizabeth Jones died in that cold hospital bed.

❤️

But the end... it wasn't really an end.

Somewhere far away, perhaps in an alternate universe, a new baby was born. Her name: Elizabeth Helena Swan.
Yes. Swan. That's right.

Daughter of Renée Dwyer and Charlie Swan, sister of Isabella Marie Swan—or rather, Bella Swan. That same Bella from the books and movies I had watched so many times under the covers, with ice cream and
wide eyes.

I was reborn. With all my memories intact.
From the beginning, it was insane confusion. I cried as a baby because I felt suffocated in that tiny, fragile body. When I learned to speak, at two years old, I started saying phrases that were too strange for a child. And at five...

— Mommy, can you put me in ballet? Like in the Barbie movie, the one with the lake. I want to dance like her.
Renée looked at me surprised, then smiled.

— Of course, Lizzie. You and your sister Bella will love dancing together.

Bella, who was seven at the time, wrinkled her nose. She had always been more introverted, less inclined to light and leaps. But there we were: two Swan sisters in pink ballet shoes, twirling around the studio like two child versions of Aurora.

But inside me... there was something broken.

It wasn't easy living with two lives inside one soul.

❤️

I missed my old mother. Penelope. Sometimes I would wake up at night and cry softly, smelling the hospital, the promise at the edge of death, and the beach we never visited again.

Charlie Swan was a good father, although a bit absent. Renée, on the other hand, was radiant like the sun but distracted. She got lost in her own dreams, and when Bella and I were still young, she decided that the world was too big for her to stay in one place.

When Bella went to Forks, I cried.

She tried to smile at me as she said goodbye:

— It'll only be for a while. Who knows, maybe one day you'll go there too, Lizzie.

Little did she know... that one day I would go, yes. And that Forks would bring back everything: the supernatural, love, death—and myself."

 

"The days passed like wind through leaves, and although I tried to live normally—watching TV, going to school, pretending everything was the same—the truth was different.

The story of Twilight was... different.

Bella went to Forks much earlier than Phil came into my mother's life. In the original story, she only went there because Phil traveled a lot for baseball. But here? She went because she wanted to.

— Did I change something? — I often thought, staring at the ceiling of my room at night, where the streetlights danced across the curtains.

Maybe just my presence had already altered the course of things. Or maybe it was just one of those coincidences of fate. But everything worsened when Phil entered our lives.
My mother met him at a baseball game we watched at home. She said he seemed nice. I thought he looked exactly as I remembered—the same awkward little smile, the backwards cap, the voice a little too light for a man nearing forty.

At first, I didn't think anything would come of it. But they started seeing each other. They fell in love.

— I must have messed with some thread of destiny — I whispered to myself, while silently doing the dishes.

Bella was already in Forks, alone with Charlie. And I... I was here, watching my mother sigh at the television screen while Phil played.

Every day she pretended to be happy, but I saw in her eyes what no one else did.

❤️

It was on one of those nights, when she kept staring at the TV even after the game was over, that I made my decision.
— Mom? — I called softly, entering the living room. She blinked, as if awakened from a trance.

— Hi, honey.

— I want to... go back to Forks.

She stared at me, surprised. Her body stiffened.
— What? Why?

— I feel like I need to be close to Bella right now — I lied. A half-truth. I knew what was coming. And what if Edward was already in her life? And the Cullens? I couldn't just stay here waiting.

Renée took a deep breath, looking at her own hands in her lap.

— Is it because of me, isn't it?

— No! — I hurried to say. — Mom, I love you. But I know I can't protect you from everything. And... I know you miss living, missing loving. Phil is nice. I like him.
She smiled awkwardly.

— I don't even know if it's love, Lizzie. But... it's good to have someone to share laughs with.

— I understand. And you deserve that. You deserve to be happy, even if Bella and I aren't around.

She stood up and came to me, gently touching my face.
— You're so mature... Sometimes I forget you're only thirteen.

I laughed, because the truth was I had much more than that inside.

— At least in Forks I'll be able to wear those fluffy coats I bought and never used — I joked, striking an exaggerated pose.

She laughed, and it warmed me inside.

❤️
The next morning, my suitcase was packed, and I was wearing an oversized navy blue sweatshirt and a gray scarf that made me look like a little investigative journalist.
Renée was leaning against the doorframe, trying to hold back tears.

— Be careful, okay? And call every day. If Charlie doesn't take care of you, I'll go to Forks with a shovel! — she said, pointing her finger.

— Yes, ma'am. — I hugged her tightly. — But take care of yourself too. And Phil. And the kitchen plant, because it's clearly dying.

She laughed through her tears.

— Who's the mother here, huh?

— Good question — I retorted, laughing loudly. And then, I whispered: — Bye, Mom.

I kissed her cheek. Her scent, the warmth of her hug... for a second, I felt the presence of my old mother, Penelope, blend with Renée's.

It was strange. And beautiful.

— Go on, before I change my mind! — she said, wiping her eyes.

Phil, who was waiting for us in the car, honked gently.
I got into the car, adjusted my backpack on my lap, and looked out the window one last time. Renée was waving, holding a mug with the phrase "Mom of the Year".
As the car drove away, I thought:

"Bella... I'm coming. And something tells me that nothing will be like in the books. Not even like in the movies."

"The plane cut through the clouds as if carving a path to a new chapter of my life. I was alone for the first time in a long time. I looked out the small round window as the lights below faded away, as if the world down there was going to sleep, one sigh at a time.

In my simple headphones—white on one side, with electrical tape on the other—"Oops!... I Did It Again" by Britney Spears was playing. Then, the playlist switched to "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga.

I smiled, thinking about how I felt almost like a time traveler. It was 2008. My cell phone was small, with almost no memory, and didn't even dream of a real touch screen. My fingers ached from typing SMS messages. No Genshin Impact, no The Sims 4, no decent Wi-Fi.

— It was a nightmare at first — I murmured to myself, turning down the volume.

But then? Then it even got... fun. It was a strange nostalgia, like visiting a childhood that wasn't quite yours. Like reliving a VHS tape you swore you had forgotten.

I shook my head amused and snuggled into the narrow seat. The blanket the flight attendant gave me smelled of cheap fabric softener, but it warmed me enough for me to close my eyes.

Before falling asleep, I looked out the window one more time. The night sky seemed to promise me things. I felt like someone out there was saying, "You're ready now, Elizabeth."

I just hoped I could find a taxi in Forks. I was going to surprise Dad.

❤️

The plane landed with a jolt that threw me against the seatbelt. My eyes opened slowly, and it took me a few seconds to remember where I was.

— Are we there? — I asked myself, still groggy.

As I got off the plane, I felt the cold wind of the Northwest envelop me like an old memory. Forks smelled of rain, pine, and wet earth. Everything was exactly as I remembered—or as Elizabeth Helena Swan remembered. Eternally soaked trees, gray sky, birds flying low as if carrying secrets.

I waited with my suitcase on the sidewalk of the small airport until an old, creaking taxi stopped.

— To Forks? — asked the driver, a man with a gray mustache and the voice of a 1970s radio announcer.
— Yes. To Sheriff Charlie Swan's house.

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
— Ah, Chief Swan, I know him well. Going to surprise your dad, huh?

I nodded, smiling as I threw my backpack in the back seat.
— Yeah. He doesn't know I'm coming back.

The car started slowly, creaking like an old machine that needed love. I leaned back in the seat and started looking out the window, letting the blurred landscape of the forest pass by slowly.

❤️

The taxi stopped in front of Charlie's house, that two-story white house with a red pickup truck parked in the driveway. A chill ran down my spine—not from fear, but from anticipation.

I paid the driver and got out with my suitcase in hand. My lilac coat swayed in the wind. I walked up the porch steps and rang the doorbell.

Inside, I heard footsteps. Then, the door opened.

Charlie appeared wearing a slightly rumpled red flannel shirt, a coffee mug in his hand, and his eyes half-closed.
— Who is i—... Lizzie?

I smiled.

— Hi, Dad.

He stood still for a few seconds. Then, he hastily put the mug on the small table by the entrance and pulled me into a tight, somewhat clumsy hug.

— What are you doing here?! Renée didn't tell me anything...
— Surprise — I whispered against his chest.

He pulled back a little, looking at me as if trying to make sure I was real.

— But... how? Did you come alone?

— I'm almost an adult, Dad — I joked, even though I was only thirteen. — And Mom is fine. It's just... I thought it was time to come back. Feel the cold. See you. See Bella too.
He ran a hand over his face, not knowing whether to smile or scold me.

— Get inside before you freeze out there.

❤️

The house was almost the same. Dark furniture, simple decor, the smell of coffee and fries. The couch sagged where Charlie always plopped down to watch TV. And the wooden stairs creaked exactly as before.

— Bella's at school — he commented while making ham and cheese sandwiches. — But she'll be happy when she sees you. She talks about you a lot.

— Really?

— Of course. You two are attached at the hip. And she's been... kind of strange lately. I think you'll liven up her routine.

I finished unpacking my things in my old room and went downstairs to eat with my dad. He put three plates on the table. One for him, one for me, and the third... remained empty.

— Was this Bella's?

— It was — he replied, clearing his throat. — But now it's complete again.

I smiled, touched by the simple gesture.

That night, lying in bed under heavy blankets with the dim light of the bedside lamp on, I thought about everything. About Penelope, about Renée, about Phil, about Charlie... and about Bella.

Tomorrow I would see my sister again. And maybe... the Cullens too.

Maybe the world of Twilight had changed. But I was here now. And nothing would be the same."

"The light from the bedside lamp still cast soft shadows on the light blue wallpaper with tiny fluorescent stars that glowed timidly in the dark. The silence of Forks was profound, broken only by the distant sound of rain drumming on the roof like a lullaby. The window, covered by pink curtains with butterfly designs, trembled slightly with the cold wind coming from the nearby forest.

I turned over in bed and looked around.

It was strange... but in a good way. The room looked like it had come out of a childhood dream, and maybe it had. A corner that little Elizabeth Swan, with her ballet slippers, had left behind when she went to Phoenix. And now she was back. I was back.

The dark wooden bookshelf was loaded with old books—some adventure titles, others fairy tales. There were also crooked picture frames with photos of me, Bella, Mom, and Dad... in one photo, Bella and I were dressed up as fairies, wearing tulle wings and plastic crowns.

I sighed, letting my eyes wander over the details. On top of the shelves were my ballet championship medals, all from when I still lived here. One had a frayed ribbon, another was bent, but they all shone like proof that I had existed. That the old girl still lived inside.

The heart-shaped rug, slightly worn in the corner, made me smile. I remembered asking Mom for that rug when I was six, after seeing a Barbie movie.

On the black desk, a CRT computer rested like a relic from another century. No internet, no Wi-Fi, nothing. Just a place where I could play Solitaire or write diaries in WordPad. I amused myself just thinking about it.

I pulled the white sheets over me, snuggling into the three stacked pillows, and rested my head on the fluffiest one. I closed my eyes slowly, listening to the sounds of the house... the creaking of the floorboards, the ticking of an old clock, and the distant sound of Charlie changing channels downstairs.

"Good night, Dad..." I thought, even without saying it out loud.

And then I slept, with the smell of rain, memory, and comfort all around me.
❤️
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of a pickup truck engine starting outside. I stretched, my body still a bit lazy from sleep, and walked downstairs slowly.

Charlie was already dressed in his police uniform, gray shirt, badge hanging on his chest, and a mug of hot coffee in his hand.

— Slept well? — he asked, raising an eyebrow.

— Slept like a log — I replied, yawning. — This pillow hugs me, Dad. It feels like it has a soul.

He chuckled, that muffled, short laugh that only Charlie could make.

— You want frozen waffles or yesterday's pancakes?
— Hm... waffles, please. And chocolate milk.

— You're predictable — he said, going to the kitchen and tossing the waffles in the toaster.

While he did that, I went to the small living room bookcase and picked up one of our old photos. Charlie watched me silently, with a different look... softer.

— You really are growing up — he murmured. — You look like a different girl.

I glanced at him over my shoulder.

— Yeah... I guess I am a different girl, Dad.

He didn't understand what I meant. And that was okay. I didn't fully understand it myself.

When breakfast was over, he grabbed his jacket and left me a house key.

— Bella should be home around lunchtime. I'll let them know on the radio that you're back, in case she stops by the station. And if you want, you can call your mother too.

I nodded, smiling.

— I will call.

He stopped at the door before leaving, and looked at me with a half-smile.

— We miss you here, Lizzie.

— I missed you too, Dad.

He nodded once and left, closing the door carefully.

❤️

I called Mom late in the morning. Renée's voice sounded cheerful on the other end of the line, as if she had been waiting for my call since I left.

— Lizzie! My baby! Have you arrived? Is everything okay there? Does the house smell musty? Did Charlie remember to buy milk?

— Calm down, Mom! — I laughed. — Everything's fine. The house is clean, Dad bought milk, and no... there's no mold yet.

She laughed, relieved.

— Oh, good... It's sunny here, can you believe it? Phil went to play, but he left me a note on the mirror with lipstick: "Love you, Rê." Can you believe that?

— Looks like he's falling in love, huh... — I teased.
— You have no idea! He even learned to cook lasagna... — she whispered, as if it were an FBI secret.

— Mom, take care of yourself, okay?

— Always. And you too, my little butterfly girl.

— Bye, Mom.

— Love you, Lizzie.

I hung up and looked around the living room, where the old TV was still showing the local news. I sat on the couch and waited.

Soon Bella would be home. And with her... the world of "Twilight" would start spinning again.

But this time, with Elizabeth Helena Swan at its center."

"The sound of water hitting the dirty dishes mixed with the soft rustling of the trees outside the window. I smiled, feeling a pleasant warmth in my chest as I lovingly soaped the plates. It was like living in one of those old commercial moments, where everything is peaceful, domestic, cozy. I never thought I'd feel so much peace washing dishes in a rainy town, but here I was—Elizabeth Helena Swan, reborn and determined to make a difference, at least at lunchtime.
I finished drying my hands and went to the refrigerator. Macaroni and cheese. Nothing more comforting and delicious. I grabbed the ingredients: tomato sauce, onion, garlic, spices, and a package of pasta that, surprisingly, Charlie had recently bought. Maybe he was really trying to improve his housekeeping skills.

While the sauce simmered in the pot and the pasta cooked slowly, I started preparing some fresh orange juice. I squeezed the fruits one by one with that noisy and outdated juicer, but I enjoyed the process. After all, my mother from my past life always said that cooking was an act of love. And that day, I wanted to make it clear to the universe that I was embracing my new chance.

It was then that I heard the front door open and light footsteps quickly going up the stairs.

Bella.

My heart beat faster. I rushed to put the juice pitcher in the fridge, and before she disappeared onto the second floor, I left the kitchen, wiping my hands on my makeshift apron and putting on a dramatic sad face.

— Aren't you going to greet your little sister? — I said with a mournful pout, furrowing my eyebrows as if offended... but the huge smile on my face gave everything away.

Bella stopped halfway up the stairs, surprised. Her eyes widened for a second, and then she ran down, her brown hair swinging.

— Lizzie?! You're back!

She hugged me awkwardly but sincerely. It was Bella's way of showing affection—reserved but deep.

— I'm back — I said, resting my head on her shoulder for a second. — And I made lunch. Macaroni and cheese. Fresh orange juice. Are you going to tell me you didn't miss this?
— If it's as good as before, I missed it a lot.

We laughed together and went to the kitchen. Charlie arrived minutes later, still wearing his badge belt and Forks police cap, and made that typical understated comment:
— Smells good... and there's food ready? Is today my lucky day?

The three of us sat down at the table. Charlie eating in satisfied silence, Bella distractedly stirring her macaroni on her plate, and me observing... trying to absorb every little bit of that moment. Family. Such a simple but powerful word.

It was then that Bella said something that caught me completely off guard.

— There's a boy at school... — she began, without looking at me, cutting her pasta with her fork. — He's... different. He doesn't talk to anyone. And with me... he seems to hate me.
I blinked, surprised.

— Hate? What do you mean?

— He doesn't look at me. When he does, it looks like he's going to throw up. It's... weird. He always answers rudely. He stays away from me as if I have some contagious disease.

My fork stopped in mid-air. The sauce slowly dripped down the spoon and back onto the plate.
Edward Cullen.

The name wasn't said, but I knew. It was him. And it didn't make sense. According to the natural course of things, Edward should already be completely fascinated by Bella. He should already be fighting the instinct to protect her while resisting her blood. But now... he was ignoring her. He was rude.

And the worst part... Bella seemed hurt.

— This boy... — I said slowly. — His name is... Edward?
She nodded.

— Edward Cullen.
— Oh.

That was all I could say. But inside, my brain was on fire.
What changed? What did I change? Did being born into this world mess everything up? Did being reborn as Bella's sister alter her destiny? Or... was Edward just acting differently for some other reason? Maybe... because of me?

I swallowed hard and slowly pushed my plate away. Charlie raised his eyes.

— Is everything alright, Lizzie?

— I'm full — I lied, giving a weak smile. — Just tired from the trip, Dad.

Bella looked at me for a few seconds as if she sensed she had touched a sensitive spot.

— Sorry... I shouldn't have talked about it right away today.
— No, it's okay, Bella. It just... caught me off guard. A strange and grumpy boy doesn't seem like the type you'd let affect you.

She shrugged, with that mysterious air of someone who didn't yet know why they cared.

— Yeah... I don't know why it affects me so much either.
Neither do I, I thought silently.

❤️

That night, while washing the dishes again and listening to Charlie snoring in the living room, I kept thinking.

If Edward wasn't reacting the right way... then the future was wide open. And that, frankly, scared me.

Maybe it was just a detour... maybe, like in the movies, love was just delayed. But deep down, a part of me felt that something bigger was forming. A fork in the road. A new path.

I looked out the kitchen window. The forest was shrouded in mist. And for a moment, I swear I saw a figure among the trees. Tall. Motionless. Watching.

Chills ran down my spine.

Did Edward know about me?

I went back to my room, burrowed under the covers, and stared at the bright stars on the wallpaper. But that night... they didn't bring me comfort. Only questions."

"The soft morning light streamed through the bedroom window, painting the blue wallpaper with small golden rays. The old alarm clock on the nightstand beeped softly, but I was already awake. It was impossible to oversleep with my head full of thoughts about last night's dinner, about Edward Cullen, and... about how fate seemed to have rearranged the pieces on the board.

I got up, went straight to the shower, and let the hot water cascade over my skin. A new chance. A new beginning. Maybe a new mission? I wasn't sure what the universe wanted from me, but if I was there... then I was going to go with the flow.

I dressed in simple clothes: black jeans, a dark green shirt, and comfortable sneakers. I tied my hair in a loose ponytail and went downstairs, smelling freshly brewed coffee. Bella was already in the kitchen, distractedly poking at the toast in the toaster, her eyes still puffy from sleep.

— Good morning — I said with a soft smile.

— Morning... — she murmured, giving me a half-smile.

I went over to help with breakfast. I started setting the plates on the table, placing the toast on a plate decorated with tiny flowers. I was so focused on this that I didn't even notice when my dad came downstairs.

— Hm... Lizzie — he said, a little hesitant.

I turned to him, noticing the folded paper he held in his hands. Charlie had that expression of someone who wanted to dig a hole in the floor and hide—which always meant something he considered delicate was coming.
— What is it, Dad? Did something happen? — I asked, worried.

He rubbed the back of his neck, muttering softly, then held out the paper towards me. I took it and unfolded it.
My eyes scanned the lines quickly. It was a paper with the Forks High School class schedule. And along with it, another paper with a locker number.

I blinked.

— This is...?

— I enrolled you — he said quickly. — Yesterday. I got you a spot. I didn't want to force you or make you angry, I thought maybe you wouldn't want to, but...

He stopped talking when he noticed the huge smile spreading across my face. I started laughing.
— Dad! I'm not going to be angry with you about something like this! — I exclaimed, walking over and hugging him around the shoulders. — Thank you. I really... I wasn't even sure if I wanted to study again, but I guess it's part of adapting, right?

Charlie looked relieved, patting me lightly on the back.
— Good... because you start today.

— Today?! — I chuckled, raising my eyebrows. — What a hurry, huh!

Bella, who had been quietly observing until then, spoke while buttering her toast:

— You can come with me. I'll show you where the classrooms and the parking lot are. It'll be fun.
I looked at her, surprised by her kindness.

— Okay... thanks, Bella. It'll be nice. Can we have lunch together at school?

She hesitated, as if considering the matter for a moment.
— Sure — she replied, with a small smile. — You'll see, the people there are pretty friendly... I mean, most of them.
— Oh, don't worry. I can handle myself — I said with a mischievous look, then started drinking my coffee while thinking about the most important part of all.

I would see Edward.

And not only that. I would be inside the school where everything happened. The heart of the story.

Maybe... I would have a real chance to observe things more closely. To understand why everything seemed off-script.
And who knows, maybe even find a purpose for my presence there.

❤️

Billy Black's old car made a peculiar sound as we drove through the wet streets of Forks. Bella drove calmly, her hands firm on the steering wheel. I looked out the window, admiring the damp trees and old houses hidden in the fog.
As we arrived at the school parking lot, I could see groups of teenagers scattered across the yard. Some were smoking hidden behind cars. Others laughed loudly with open backpacks and headphones hanging around their necks. Everything was so nostalgic... and at the same time new.

— Ready? — Bella asked, giving me a sidelong glance.

— Always — I replied, getting out of the car with my backpack on my shoulders.

As soon as I walked in, I noticed the curious stares. After all, a new student in Forks was almost like a solar eclipse—rare and eye-catching. I smiled at some students but ignored the whispers. I had more important things on my mind.

Bella showed me the hallways, the principal's office, and where the cafeteria was. While she spoke, I observed every corner—looking for them.

And then... I saw them.

The Cullens.

They walked together as if they were a living painting. Too beautiful. Untouchable. With light and silent steps. Alice, with her bright eyes and ballerina-like movements. Emmett laughing softly with Rosalie. Jasper, pale and rigid. And in the center of them... Edward.

He looked... uncomfortable. As if the air around him was wrong. His eyes lifted, met mine for a brief second.

And then, he stopped.

He stood there.

Still.

Staring at me.

With an... indecipherable look.
My heart leaped.

Bella noticed and whispered:

— Don't stare too much. He hates attention.
But it wasn't that. There was something in that look. Something that burned... that questioned... that recognized.

And for the first time, I wondered with a shiver:
What if Edward Cullen had also felt that destiny had changed?"

Chapter 2: Chapter II

The air was heavy. I could almost feel the oxygen condensing between the school corridors. Everything felt… wrong.

As soon as I entered the biology classroom, my eyes automatically searched for the table where Edward should be sitting with Bella. But no. She had gone somewhere else — and he was alone. That… didn’t make sense.

My mind screamed. This wasn’t in the script. He was supposed to be with her now. Sitting. Tortured. Fighting his own instincts. Why had everything changed?!

I handed my registration paper to Mr. Molina, trying to keep my composure. As I walked past the fan, I felt my hair fly… and then I saw it. His gaze.

Edward Cullen.

His pupils were dilated, black as coal. His eyes, fierce. His body, rigid like a living statue. He held his face in a clenched fist, fingers pressing against his jaw as if his very existence was about to slip out of control.

For a second, I didn’t breathe.
For a second, I thought he might actually kill me right there.
A chill ran down my spine, freezing everything.

And as if fate wanted to throw me straight into the line of fire, I heard Mr. Molina say, far too cheerfully:

— "Elizabeth Swan? You can sit next to Edward Cullen."

I froze. Slowly turned my face toward Bella. She gave me an uncertain look, as if something bothered her too, but she didn’t know what.

I bit my lip — a nervous tic I kept even after… dying and coming back — and grabbed my bag, heading toward the predator’s table.

“He’s not supposed to look at me like that…”

“He’s not supposed to ignore me or nearly gag like he did with Bella…”

“He’s… not supposed to want me dead.”

I sat down next to him, my movements slow and smooth, as if any sudden motion could trigger the worst. I placed my backpack on the floor and bent down to grab my book.

Deep breath. One, two, three…

As I rose, I noticed he was still in a defensive stance. Tense. As if he were holding his own body together through sheer willpower.

— “Hi…” I said softly, trying to sound casual.

He didn’t respond. Just turned his face, looking toward the opposite side of the room, as if my presence burned him.

I swallowed hard. Pulled the book closer and tried to keep my focus on the board, the teacher, any small noise.

But… I couldn’t.

I could feel his gaze returning. A gaze that was hungry, curious, angry, and confused. A gaze that devoured and seemed terrified all at once.

What if he couldn’t read my mind… because my mind belonged to another world? Another life?
What if Edward Cullen could sense that I was… wrong?

I tried to scream in my mind again. “Hey, Edward, look here! I know you sparkle in the sun! I know you play the piano like an angel! I know you’re going to fall in love with Bella! I KNOW EVERYTHING!”

But he didn’t react. Didn’t even move.

He just… stayed there. Silent. Almost deadly.

The class passed slowly, each second dragging on like eternity. My fingers trembled slightly as I took notes, but I forced myself to act normal.

When the bell rang, he was the first to stand up. In the blink of an eye, Edward vanished through the classroom door, without looking back, leaving only the sweet scent of… fear?

I leaned against the desk, taking a deep breath.

Bella approached, looking concerned.

— “Are you okay?” she asked.

— “I’m…” I lied. “It was just… strange. Really strange.”

She nodded, crossing her arms.

— “Did you see how he looked? Like he was in pain or something.”

— “Yeah…” I murmured, staring at the empty chair beside mine. “Like something was wrong with the whole world.”

 

---

That afternoon, when I got home, Charlie was already in uniform, heading out for his shift. He kissed my forehead with a calm smile.

— “How was your first day?”

— “Scary… interesting… and a bit confusing,” I answered, throwing myself onto the couch.

He frowned.

— “Did someone treat you badly?”

— “Not badly. Just… strangely. Edward Cullen, from school.”

Charlie sighed, scratching his head.

— “Ah, the Cullens. Good kids, though… different. They don’t really get involved with anyone. Their father, Carlisle, is a doctor here. Great guy.”

I nodded, but the discomfort remained. Something inside me pulsed, like an instinct trying to warn me. It wasn’t just Edward who was different. The whole storyline felt subtly off.

I went up to my room and found an email from Renee. She seemed excited that I was studying in Forks and asked if I’d made any friends. I replied carefully, trying not to mention Edward. I didn’t want her to worry.

But then, at the end of the night, a terrifying thought came to me:

What if, because I’m here, the love between Bella and Edward never happens?
What if I was sent to stop it… or to replace it…?

I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

What if I, Elizabeth Helena Swan… am the new piece that changes everything?

 

The days had stretched out like a gray blanket.
The weather in Forks — eternally rainy, melancholic, and cold — seemed to match perfectly with the uneasy buzz growing inside me.
Edward Cullen had disappeared from school since the day we sat together in biology.
No explanation, no news. He had simply... vanished.

At first, I tried to rationalize it.
Maybe he was sick.
Maybe it was one of those mysterious disappearances his family was known for.
But over time, I realized something much bigger was hiding behind that absence.

Still, even without Edward, I wasn’t free from the weight of the Cullens.

Alice looked at me with an enigmatic expression, as if she could see the future and didn’t like what she saw.
Emmett seemed... curious.
Jasper, restless.
And Rosalie...

Ah, Rosalie Hale threw looks at me that could melt steel.

Her contempt was sharp, cruel, as if my very existence offended every immortal cell of her body.
I endured. Pretended not to notice.
But it was impossible to ignore completely.
Something in them knew I wasn’t normal.
That I didn’t belong.

But then… he came back.

 

---

That morning

The strangeness began the night before.
I was sleeping deeply, the exhaustion of the past few days catching up to me.
I dreamed of distant things — memories of a former life mixed with this new one.
But in the middle of the dreams, I felt something.
A shiver. A weight in the air.

I had the distinct sensation I was being watched.

I turned in bed, curling to the side, hiding my face in the pillow.
The feeling lingered, but sleep was too heavy. I ignored it.

When Forks’ gray sun rose, I opened my eyes slowly and stretched... only to notice the bedroom window was open.

My eyes narrowed.
I clearly remembered closing it the night before.
I got up slowly and walked to it, feeling the cold air brush my face.
No marks. Nothing out of place.
Only the strange certainty that someone had been here.

I shook my head, trying to shake the thought. Just paranoia. Fatigue. Strange dreams.

I took a shower, dressed in jeans and a simple red top, grabbed my brown jacket and my bag, and went downstairs.

Bella was already in the kitchen, setting the table.
Charlie was reading the paper, coffee in hand.

"You didn’t wait for me. I’m heartbroken," I joked, pouting dramatically.

Bella laughed softly while I hung my jacket on the back of the chair and kissed her cheek, then Dad’s.
I sat down and ate with them, laughing at Charlie’s silly jokes about donuts and the rainy weather.

 

---

At school

The drive to school was quiet.
Bella drove our old pickup truck, and I watched the raindrops trickle down the window.
When we arrived, I sighed and got out, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

Another day the same.
Another day without Edward Cullen.

Or... so I thought.

As I walked through the halls, with Mike making jokes about the rain being a Viking curse, something changed.

As I turned the corner toward the biology room, my heart skipped a beat.
There he was.

Edward Cullen.
Sitting.

The same pale, inhuman face.
The slightly tousled bronze hair.
A long-sleeved black shirt.
His hands clasped on the table.
His eyes fixed on me — as if I were the only thing in focus in the entire universe.

I swallowed hard.

"Uh... I’ll catch you later," I said to Mike and Bella, smiling like I wasn’t dying inside.

I approached the desk with careful steps, trying to control my breathing.
I sat down next to him, placing my bag on the floor with a soft thump.
I said nothing. Didn’t look at him.
I just... breathed.

I could feel his gaze on me.
Burning. Weighing. Stripping my soul bare.
But I kept pretending he didn’t exist.
Just like he did to me.

 

---

Class began, and Mr. Molina started talking about mitochondria, but all I could think about was the silence between us.

Then his voice came.
Low. Velvety. Intense.

"You changed your hair."

I startled slightly.
Not because he spoke — but because his voice hit me like thunder in an empty field.

I turned slowly to face him.
His eyes, now golden like dark honey, watched me carefully.

"It’s just a new cut," I said simply, trying not to get lost in that voice.

He nodded slightly. Looked forward. Then back at me.

"I’m sorry... for being rude."

My mouth fell open, surprised.
He wasn’t supposed to be apologizing to me.
This wasn’t what happened with Bella...
This wasn’t part of the story...

"It’s okay," I replied, barely audible.
"I figured you were going through something."

He gave a slight smirk, a gesture that seemed rehearsed — but still managed to disarm my heart.

"I’m always going through something, Elizabeth."

Hearing my name on his lips made my heart stumble.

He studied me for another moment, as if trying to solve an impossible equation.
As if I were the error in the math.

"You’re... different," he said, more to himself than to me.

"And you’re... dramatic," I replied, smiling lightly.

He blinked, surprised by my response.
Then he smiled. A real smile.

And in that moment, something inside me changed.

The course of the story had been broken.
And Edward Cullen... was starting to take an interest in me.