Steam fogged the bathroom mirror, ghosting over my reflection until I was just a blur of skin and condensation. I wiped a streak clear with my hand. Same face, same blue eyes. But something in them looked… sharper. More alive than before.
"Get it together, Newton," I muttered, running the towel through my hair before stepping out.
The shower hadn't cleared away the restless hum under my skin, the faint warmth that had followed me since the run. I'd half expected to wake up and feel normal again, but instead it was like my body didn't quite belong to me anymore, stronger, faster, just more.
Breakfast helped distract me. Scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee that was way too bitter. The house was quiet, the kind of quiet that made every small sound echo, my fork tapping the plate, the creak of the chair, the rain dripping faintly outside. My parents had already left for work and would be at the store until late. So it was just me at home, along with the food, and the thoughts I couldn't outrun.
By the time I climbed into my car, I felt steady enough to face the day. The Mountaineer hummed softly, the steering wheel cool under my hands. I caught myself glancing at the speedometer more than once. Chief Swan had been right, I'd been crawling last night. But now, I held steady, not too fast, not too slow.
The sky was a dull gray, clouds stretching low and heavy, but at least the rain had stopped. Forks looked washed clean. Water clung to the pine branches like beads of glass, the pavement slick and dark.
School loomed ahead, brick and metal framed by the mist. Students clustered under umbrellas, jackets zipped to the chin, laughter and chatter cutting through the morning air. The smell of wet asphalt and cafeteria food hung in the air, oddly familiar, oddly grounding.
Classes passed without much to say. Math, English, history, it all blurred together. Every so often, I caught whispers about Bella Swan, the new girl from Phoenix, following her like a faint current of curiosity. I'd catch glimpses of her sometimes, dark hair, pale skin, always seeming a little lost, but less so than before. Jessica Stanley had made it her personal mission to fold Bella into her social orbit, whether she wanted it or not.
When lunch came, I was ready for something that at least resembled normal.
The cafeteria was noisy and humid from too many bodies and the scent of reheated pizza. I grabbed a tray, slid a carton of milk on it, and made my way to our usual table near the windows.
"Hey, slow-motion Newton!" Tyler Crowley called out as I sat down, a grin spreading across his face. "Managed to go over twenty miles an hour today?"
Of course he would know about that, in this small town, any small gossip spreads everywhere in a matter of minutes. "Twenty-five," I shot back with mock pride. "Forks PD better watch out."
The guys burst out laughing. Eric Yorkie almost choked on his fries. "Dude, that's like warp speed for you!"
"Careful, man," Ben Cheney added, shaking his head. "You'll get pulled over for reckless driving."
Eric and Ben were as inseparable as ever, one all nerves and enthusiasm, the other calm and grounded. Eric's camera bag sat beside his tray, because he never went anywhere without it. Ben was shorter, neater, with his dark hair combed and his lunch arranged with surgeon-level precision.
Tyler, across from me, was still chuckling, shoulders relaxed. He was built like the athlete he was, fit, quick, and confident. "Guess you'll have to race me at the gym later, man. See if your old Mountaineer spirit rubs off."
"Sure," I said with a smirk. "Just don't cry when I win."
His laugh echoed over the table.
Across from us sat the girls, Jessica, Lauren, and Angela, with Bella squeezed in near the end, still looking like she wasn't sure if she belonged yet.
Jessica Stanley was in full social-butterfly mode, dark brown hair shining under the fluorescent lights as she leaned toward Bella, blue eyes alight with curiosity. "So, Bella, you've survived your first week at Forks High! How's the grand tour going?"
Bella smiled faintly, twisting the cap on her water bottle. "Better than I expected, honestly. It's… quieter here."
"Quieter?" Jessica giggled. "Girl, wait till you see our pep rallies."
Lauren Mallory rolled her eyes, flipping her perfect blonde hair over one shoulder. "Oh, please. Our pep rallies could put caffeine to sleep."
"Maybe if you actually showed up to one, you'd know," Jessica said, narrowing her eyes.
Lauren smirked. "Why bother? We all know who wins every year."
Tyler pointed his fork at her. "The team wins because I'm on it."
"Sure, hero," Lauren said flatly, stabbing her salad. "Keep telling yourself that."
Angela Webber chuckled softly, head bent as she adjusted her camera strap. "I think we can all agree Tyler likes to take credit where it's least deserved."
Tyler put a hand to his chest. "I'm deeply wounded, Angela."
"Not as much as your defense last game," Ben muttered under his breath.
The table cracked up. Even Bella smiled, though it faded quickly when Jessica leaned in again.
"So," Jessica began, lowering her voice just enough to draw everyone's attention, "did anyone notice the Cullens weren't here today?"
Lauren gave a half-hearted shrug. "Maybe they went on another mysterious family trip."
"Yeah," Tyler said, grinning. "Probably hunting bears or whatever they do for fun."
Angela, ever gentle, said, "Maybe one of them's sick."
I swallowed a bite of my sandwich and said to Bella before thinking, "See? I told you he was probably sick."
Jessica blinked. "Wait, you mean Edward Cullen, right?"
"Yeah," I said, trying to sound casual. "Didn't he look kinda pale yesterday? Even for a Cullen?"
That got a few laughs. But Bella froze. Her fingers tightened around her bottle, and she looked down at the table like she was trying to disappear.
Jessica caught it immediately, eyes gleaming with gossip radar. "Oh come on, Bella! He was staring at you the whole class yesterday. Like, weirdly staring."
Bella's head shot up, eyes wide. "He wasn't! I mean, he just, he didn't…" She stopped, realizing she was stammering, cheeks flushing pink.
Lauren smirked. "Maybe he smelled the cafeteria food."
That broke the tension and everyone laughed. Even Bella managed a small, nervous smile.
But I noticed something else, the flicker of discomfort she tried to hide, the way her eyes drifted toward the window as if searching for something far beyond the school walls.
And for a second, I felt it too. That strange pull, that awareness of something just off in the air.
I looked away, forcing a laugh to join the others, but the unease stayed lodged in my chest.
Forks High had always been the same predictable routine, classes, sports, gossip. But lately, everything felt like it was shifting under the surface, waiting.
Maybe it was Bella, maybe it was the Cullens. Or maybe it was me.
Whatever it was, I had the feeling this was just the calm before the storm.
…
After lunch, we all stood up and started heading toward our next classes. Tyler stretched his arms over his head, yawning loud enough to draw a few looks.
"Man, I'm so done with algebra," he said. Then he paused, looking at me for a moment, brow furrowing. "Yo, Mike… were you always this tall?"
I blinked, glancing at him. Tyler was one of the taller guys in our grade, just over six feet, but now… we were eye-level. Maybe even close to even.
"Uh, I guess I hit another growth spurt?" I said with a shrug, trying to sound casual even though something twisted uneasily in my gut. "Careful, man, at this rate I'll pass you in no time. Just wait until I'm seven feet tall and looking down at you like you're a kid."
Tyler laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah right, Newton. Seven feet my ass."
"I'm telling you, NBA material, baby," I said with a grin, trying to make it sound like a joke. But inside, I couldn't shake the strange thought, what if it wasn't just a joke? What if I really kept changing?
Tyler clapped my shoulder. "Well, Mr. Future NBA Star, you better prove it on the court today. I still owe you that race in P.E."
"Oh, it's on," I said, grinning wider. "Just don't cry when I lap you."
"Ha! In your dreams."
When the whistle blew during P.E., the boys spilled onto the basketball court while the girls would play volleyball as always. The air was crisp, the unexpected sun cutting through the clouds, the floorboards humming with the sound of sneakers and bouncing balls.
Tyler's team took one side, mine the other. We tossed a few passes to warm up, and I tried, really tried, to hold back. But everything just felt too easy. My movements were sharper, faster. My body flowed like it already knew where to go.
The game started, and within minutes, I was everywhere, stealing passes, sinking shots, weaving around defenders like they were standing still. Tyler was good, no doubt, but I could read him like an open book.
By the end of the match, he was panting, hands on his knees, sweat dripping down his face. I wasn't even winded.
"Damn, Mike," he said between breaths. "What the hell did you eat for breakfast?"
"Wheaties," I said, grinning. "Champion's fuel."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, okay, remind me not to play against you next time."
I chuckled, but the light mood didn't settle inside me. As everyone filed toward the locker room, I looked down at my hands again and noticed my fingers looked just a tad bit longer.
Something was happening to me.
And whatever it was, I didn't know if I wanted it to stop or keep going.
…
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