…Alice POV…
Alice Cullen had always lived her life half in the now and half in the future. Her visions painted possibilities before they happened, and her mind stitched them together like a patchwork of what could be. But lately? Lately, it had been.. weird.
Something, or someone, was on the horizon, messing with her sight like a glitch in the matrix. Static flares. Timeline dead zones. Glimpses of chaos wrapped in a hoodie. The future had never been more thrillingly uncertain.
And then came this morning.
The sun, well, Forks' half hearted attempt at light, dribbled through the clouds as the Cullens pulled into the school parking lot. Rosalie and Emmett walked ahead like runway models on a mission. Jasper strolled quietly, side by side with Emely, whose soothing presence made even his wildest urges tame.
Alice walked a few paces behind them, alone, and for once, okay with it. She felt oddly giddy. Today was important. She didn't know why. Just that her chest buzzed like she'd swallowed a thousand carbonated butterflies.
Then it hit her.
the sensation.
Not a vision, not yet, but something real. A warmth blooming in her chest, spreading like sunlight in her veins. Her breath caught.
Someone was watching her.
She turned her head slowly, eyes scanning the forest bordering the school. For just a second, she swore she saw movement. A flicker of a figure at the tree line. But then, gone. Vanished like smoke.
No scent. No aura she could track.
Just that pull, like gravity had chosen someone new to orbit. Her hand unconsciously reached towards her heart, and for a split second, her eyes dilated as the mate bond snapped into place inside her soul.
A memory that hadn't happened yet unfolded like a blooming rose: A hoodie-clad boy grinning as trees exploded behind him. Hands that could bend force. And her. Laughing. Smiling. Fighting beside him.
Alice blinked, breathless.
"He's here," she whispered, not to anyone in particular.
Jasper turned slightly, sensing her change in energy. "Alice? Are you okay?"
She gave a soft, dazed smile. "I think I just met the guy who's going to turn my entire life into a cartoon crossover."
Emely chuckled from beside him. "Sounds chaotic."
Alice nodded, eyes still scanning the tree line. "Oh, he is."
But he was gone now.
She wouldn't see him again today, she knew that somehow. But the bond had anchored itself in her heart, an ember waiting to roar to life. And when it did?
The world wouldn't know what hit it.
…
…The Next Morning…
The wind whistled through Forks High like it was trying to escape. Sebastian stood just outside the main office, hoodie slightly damp from the ever-loyal rain, hari more rebellious than his attitude. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, backpack half- zipped and practically yawning open.
Out walked a man who could only be described as the living embodiment of "Mid-Life Crisis: Teacher Edition." Tweed jacket with elbow patches? Check. Tie with molecular structures painted on it? Absolutely. A pencil behind one ear and a coffee stain on his left sleeve sealed the deal.
"You must be Sebastian," the teacher replied, shaking his head. "I've been teaching chemistry here longer than you've been alive, probably. Principal said you're a transfer?"
"More like a strategic reappearance," Sebastian said, falling into step beside the man.
They walked the beige-tiled hallway together, surrounded by faded posters about anti-bullying, hygiene, and the occasional math pun.
"Locker's just up here," Abernathy said, stopping in front locker 237. He fumbled with a list and scribbled Sebastian's combination on a sticky note. "Don't lose this. Unless you have magical powers that let you bypass locks or something."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Hypothetically?"
Abernathy sighed. "Just don't explode anything, okay? First class is chemistry."
Sebastian's grin widened like a cat presented with an open birdcage. "Ah. Explosions. We're starting off strong."
After all, art is an explosion!
END OF CHAPTER 9