The Major's Mate

4

From one day to the next, Celeste notices the that Cullen family is suddenly very interested in her. Well, everyone but Rosalie who seems to pretend that Celeste doesn't even exist. Whatever.

But with their newfound interest, Celeste finds she has to be careful.

For the first week with her new fans, Celeste puts up with Alice greeting her in the mornings and at lunch, and the petite girl trying everything in her arsenal to get Celeste to have lunch with her and her family. Edward hangs back, but he is always right there with her and smiling sheepishly as if apologizing for Alice's enthusiasm. Jasper keeps a bit of a distance, but he's still decently friendly when she looks his way and she always has to gulp when her emotions well up. Especially when he smiles at her and all she wants to do is climb into his lap.

Emmett doesn't do much but watch from afar, but he's always ready with a smile when Celeste catches his gaze.

Celeste's own friends are surprised since the Cullen's didn't interact with anyone other than their own family, but it's Lauren who eventually drives Celeste to the Cullen table when she can't keep her jealousy in check.

"Sorry to intrude," Celeste says, walking up to the most avoided table in the cafeteria with her lunch tray in hand. She mentally smirks when the chattering ceases all around. "But if I have to sit with Lauren one more second I will rip her throat out. With my teeth." The Cullen family seem surprised by her words, but Emmett quickly kicks out a chair for her to take- the chair between Alice and Jasper. "Thanks."

Taking her seat, Celeste then smiles at every Cullen and Hale, and ignores the way Edward is intently staring at her. She starts eating her chicken tenders and mashed potatoes, grinning when Rosalie wrinkles her nose in distaste.

"So what are the reclusive Cullen's and Hale's up to today? Make anyone cry, Rosalie?"

Emmett grins and nudges her, and Rosalie shrugs. "Not yet."

"Awesome. And you, Mr. Hale?" Celeste then lightly kicks him under the table. "Your resting bitch face seems like it'd make a person or two cry."

Emmett guffaws and Jasper shifts in his seat. "Excuse me?"

"Don't get me wrong. The look totally works for you," she muses and is pleased when Jasper relaxes. "And your voice, oddly enough. Was that a Southern drawl I detected?"

Jasper can only blink in response when the sudden onslaught of her emotions hits him, making him want to- Edward coughs and Jasper slams a wall down on his mind and emotions.

"Nevermind. Anyway I'm sure you've heard others talk about how intimidating you are. Someone has to have cried before."

Alice giggles and Celeste shoves another chicken tender into her mouth, grinning at the way she's being stared at as if she's an oddity. "So, Celeste, any plans this weekend?"

"Nope. I'm as free as a bird. What'd you have in mind, short stack?"

"Shopping."

"Done. So long as Rosalie tells me where she gets her boots." Celeste gets a far away look in her eye, sighing dreamily. "I really love those boots."

"You love them so much you want to bang her- OW!"

Celeste glances at Emmett mid-sip of her Cola, her eyes narrowing. She tilts her head as if wondering if she heard him right-

"You did."

-and.. wait. What? Celeste's gaze darts to Edward next. She's had her suspicions about this one, but instead of asking outright she starts mentally singing, "Shot through the heart and you're to blame. Darlin', you give love a bad name."

Edward's lips twitch. "Bon Jovi?"

Celeste's eyes widen and Rosalie quietly curses her brother. "What happened to easing her into this? Carlisle would not approve, idiot."

But instead of freaking out, Celeste snorts and shakes her head. "Mind reader. I knew it." The Cullen's and Hale's uneasily glance around at each other. "Any other specialties I should know about besides Rosalie's killer sense of fashion?"

Emmett grins. "I'm strong, like abnormally strong."

"And I see the future based on people's decisions. Sometimes. You're actually really hard to see," Alice says.

Everyone glances at Jasper next, Celeste included, but instead of answering her he shows her. Celeste suddenly feels giddy and then sad, but given how her emotions are all ready amplified the sadness she suddenly feels, feels like crushing grief. Her eyes tear up and she chokes down a sob, and then suddenly the weight is gone and she's back to her curious self. "W-What.. was that?"

"I'm sorry," Jasper says. "I didn't mean to push too much on you."

She takes a moment to catch her breath and wipe beneath her eyes, Celeste then shaking her head. "It's not your fault. Not entirely. I-"

The bell rings, which startles Celeste, but before she can say anything else Alice is dragging her up and out of her seat. "Come with me. We need to clean you up in the bathroom. The boys will clear the table."

Celeste follows without putting up a fight, she still trying to get her emotions in check after Jasper apparently manipulated them. Cool power, but major suckage to have it turned on herself.

Rosalie reluctantly follows them into the bathroom and Celeste swats Alice's hands away when when the petite girl wets a paper towel and tries to wipe under her eyes.

"I got it, I got it," Celeste grumbles.

As she's cleaning off her ruined eyeliner and mascara, Rosalie huffs from where she's leaning against a wall. "So that's it? You find out Alice sees the future, Edward can read minds, and Jasper can play with your emotions, and you don't even bat an eye?"

Celeste shrugs. "This isn't my first supernatural rodeo." She pulls forward her backpack, digging through the front pocket for her makeup. "I know witches, and I'm friends with vampires and a few werewolves. I even met a dryad once, who by the way was very beautiful. History books don't do them any justice."

Alice's gaze quickly darts to a now tense Rosalie. "Vampire?"

"Mhm." Celeste is focusing on perfecting her eyeliner that she doesn't see the other two having a silent conversation with their eyes. "So is that what you guys are then?" She asks. "I know there's more than one type of species of vamp, but I've never met the other kinds. You guys, however, are extremely cold. Colder than even myself and you don't eat human food, which is another trait some of the other vamps have."

"Colder than yourself?" Rosalie's eyes narrow. "Why would you compare yourself to-"

The bathroom door opens, cutting Rosalie off, and all three girls hold in their groan at the sight of Lauren. Lauren, however, rolls her eyes and has no problem groaning at the sight of Celeste. Then suddenly getting an idea, Celeste makes up her mind about showing Rosalie and Alice just why she compared herself to them. Alice's gaze suddenly goes distant, but before the gasp can even leave her mouth Celeste is on the move.

Grabbing Lauren by the throat after moving towards at her with inhuman speed, Celeste lightly slams the girl into the sink and bends her backwards over it. She wills her face to change, hissing in Lauren's face and the human girl pales.