Aria's Twilight

Meeting Edward

3rd pov

Aria stepped into the classroom, shrugging off her rain-soaked jacket. The snow from the night before had already begun melting, leaving patches of slush outside—a disappointment, but it didn't dampen her excitement.

Mike pointed to a coat hook. "Here's where you can hang that," he said, shaking his wet baseball cap free. Eric, meanwhile, leaned toward Bella, deep in conversation about prom music choices.

As Eric opened his mouth to ask another question, Mike nudged between them. "Enjoying the rain, Arizona?" he teased, tipping his cap toward the girls.

Bella opened her mouth to respond but froze. Edward was now seated at their shared table, his presence quiet yet magnetic, commanding attention without a word.

Aria moved toward the front of the classroom to introduce herself to Mr. Molina. He blinked, surprise flickering across his face as he read her name on the roster, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Miss Swan, it's a pleasure to have you in my class. I understand you've skipped a few years of school?"

Aria's cheeks warmed. She didn't notice the golden-eyed boy watching her, though Bella did. "Um... yes. I'm fifteen. I skipped two years, but that doesn't mean I'm super smart or anything. Math has always been a little tricky for me, so science is like math's cousin... I might not be the best."

A soft, almost inaudible chuckle escaped Edward. He stood, drawing Bella's shocked gaze, and fetched a chair from the back of the classroom, placing it neatly between his seat and Bella's.

Mr. Molina nodded approvingly. "Since we're now an odd number again, I'll have you join your sister and Mr. Cullen. He's already prepared a seat for you."

Three chairs had been arranged neatly at the table. Aria offered Edward a polite smile as she walked down the aisle. Bella, however, shifted to the middle seat, moving closer to Edward, leaving Aria to settle near the edge by the aisle. Edward adjusted his chair slightly, sliding it away from Bella and toward Aria.

Aria pulled out her science notebook and her red, yellow, and green glitter pens, excitement bubbling in her chest.

"Alright, class," Mr. Molina began, "today we're studying onion root cells. You'll be separating and labeling them according to the phases of mitosis. The first group to complete it correctly will win... The Golden Onion!"

Aria grinned at Bella. "Yes! We're totally winning." She turned toward their tablemates. "Bella was in advanced placement back in Phoenix... and you seem pretty smart too."

Bella's face flushed, and Edward stiffened slightly before sliding the microscope toward them, his movements precise and deliberate.

"Ladies first," he said, calm but commanding.

Bella leaned in, focusing on the slide. She adjusted the lens, glancing at Edward as if to start a conversation. "You've... been gone," she said, immediately regretting it.

Aria intervened softly. "Of course he's been gone, Bella. He knows he's been gone. It's personal—none of our business where he went."

Edward's golden eyes flicked toward Aria. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "She's right. It was personal. I won't be sharing details."

Bella, embarrassed, returned her attention to the microscope, determined to impress Edward with the correct answer.

"Prophase," she murmured, carefully removing the slide. Edward's gaze followed her movements. "May I check it?"

Bella handed it over. He leaned in, studying the sample. "Prophase," he confirmed.

"Like I said," Bella muttered, a small triumphant smile on her face.

Aria exhaled softly, nudging her sister with her elbow. Don't be rude, he hasn't done anything wrong.

Edward replaced the slide with another, his golden eyes briefly meeting Aria's. "Would you like to look?" he asked.

Aria startled as Edward called on her, her green eyes widening in surprise. She glanced past her sister at the pale, striking boy, then shook her head quickly, soft curls bouncing around her face.

"Um... no, that's okay. I'm not really good at this and wouldn't know what to look for," she murmured.

To both girls' surprise, Edward rose from his seat and quietly moved next to Aria, placing the microscope in front of her. He leaned close, whispering instructions into her ear.

Aria stiffened, her cheeks flushing bright red. The closeness of him—the warmth of his breath brushing against her skin—made her heart race. For a brief, fleeting second, she thought she felt his lips graze her cheek. She shook off the shock and focused on the microscope, following his whispered guidance carefully.

Bella, sitting nearby, seethed. Edward was paying attention to her younger sister, not her. Unbeknownst to either of them, her pretty face twisted into a glare, sharp and jealous, aimed at the two at the table.

What felt like an eternity to Bella was only two minutes. Aria bit her lip, carefully examining the slide. Edward's golden eyes locked on the subtle movement, sharp and unwavering.

"I think it's anaphase," Aria said softly.

Edward's lips curved into a small, approving smile. "Correct," he said. Pride and warmth spread across Aria's face—but it quickly faltered as she glanced at her sister.

Bella grabbed the microscope from her sister. "I'll check just in case," she muttered, determined to prove her point. She looked through the lens, only to blink in frustration.

"It's anaphase," she admitted.

Edward's voice cut coolly across the table, calm but sharp. "Exactly as she said. You should have more faith in your sister, Isabella." Bella flinched at the sound of her full name, the tone icy and precise.

He turned back to Aria, his golden eyes softening. "So, Aria, how are you enjoying Forks so far?"

Aria looked from her red-faced sister to Edward, a small smile forming. "Well... I come here every summer and most school breaks, except winter, to stay with our father. But honestly, I don't really like the rain in winter. I much prefer snow."

Edward's brow lifted. "And why is that?"

"It's really pretty... and fun to play in," she said simply.

"Is that why you moved? For the snow?" His voice was careful, almost tentative. Aria tilted her head in confusion. "Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable—you're... hard for me to read."

"Are you good at reading people?" she asked, curious but unthreatened.

"Usually... yes. But you're a little harder than most," he admitted.

Aria continued studying him, unconcerned; he didn't seem like a bad person. "Not really. I mean, sure, it doesn't snow in Phoenix, but our mom remarried this great guy named Phil. He's a baseball player, so he traveled a lot. Mom stayed home with Bella and me, but she missed him. So Bella decided we'd move here to live with Daddy."

Edward felt a brief thrill run through him at the mention of "Daddy," immediately followed by disgust at his own reaction. "So you didn't have a choice. She decided for you?"

"No," Aria said firmly. "Mom constantly asked if I wanted to stay, but we'd lived with her so long that Daddy deserves time with us—not just two or four months of the year."

Before Edward could respond, Bella interjected, finally stepping out of her trance. She had been silently studying him, analyzing his every movement. "Did you get contacts?" she asked sharply. "Last time I saw you, your eyes were black. Now they're... golden-brown?"

Edward stiffened. Without a word, he stood, packed his books, and answered curtly, "It's just the fluorescents." His hands curled into tight fists as he walked out the door.

The bell rang as the two girls began to leave. Mr. Molina stopped them, giving Aria a small, gleaming trophy—the Golden Onion—for her correct work. She accepted it with a wide smile, pride warming her chest, before making her way through the icy parking lot, snow crunching beneath her boots.