“Which one is the girl with the long brown hair?” Edward Masen asked.

I sighed, here comes another admirer.

Jasper smiled at my annoyance.

“That’s Bella. She’s gorgeous, of course, but don’t waste your time. She doesn’t date. Apparently none of the guys here are good-looking enough for her,” Mike answered. I wanted to laugh at his bitter tone.

“Edward Masen’s quite the looker, don’t you agree, Bella?” Alice asked me. I raised my eyebrows at her calm expression, but nodded slightly.

It didn’t matter, however.

“Shall we?” I asked and picked up my tray as I rose.

My siblings followed suit and we made our way to exit the cafeteria. I did not look back.

–

In Biology II, I took my usual seat in the back of the classroom. I dropped my bag and books – useless items – into the empty seat next to mine. The humans did not need convincing that I wanted to be left alone. In consequence, I was the only one in the class to have a seat to herself. Well, that and the fact that there was an uneven number of students.

I stared out of the window as the classroom started to fill up from lunch. It was times like these that I wished I had the power to fast-forward through time. Nothing the teachers were learning changed. In fact, I knew more than some of the teachers did.

Mike’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Masen! You’ve got this class too?”

I looked up to find the bronze haired human walking to Mr. Banner and handing him a slip to sign. Well, so much for sitting alone, I sighed and moved my possessions onto the floor. I prepared myself to make an introduction and make it politely clear that I would not be an effusive lab partner.

I moved my long hair out of my face as Edward Masen approached his new seat. When I took a breath out of habit, I immediately regretted it.

Edward Masen’s scent was enthralling.

I could not think a comprehensible or sensible thought. The only sentence that registered in my mind was: I need his blood. Now.

Never before had I come across a scent so strong, so mouth-watering. When the venom pooled in my mouth, I had no desire to swallow it. The monster within me wondered whether his blood tasted as sweet as he smelled.