I have waited a thousand years for you.

Truth shines a light

The dawn broke over Forks with a sullen grayness that seeped into every corner of the small town. Bella Swan stood in the center of the deserted school lawn, her breath catching in the cool morning air. The grass beneath her feet was slick with dew, untouched by the day's first light. The world seemed to hold its breath with her, suspended in an uneasy calm. Her eyes, wide and unblinking, stared into the distance, but her mind was far away, grappling with a truth she could hardly believe.

She had spent the morning in uncharacteristic silence, her usual barbed remarks toward her sister's fashion choices absent. Even the mundane irritations of daily life had faded to the background. Now, she stood alone, still as a statue, waiting for the moment that would confirm everything. Margaret approached the Cullens alongside Jasper, their faces fallen and even paler than usual.

"Alice?" The pale girl's eyes were unfocused on them, as if seeing further away. A vision, no doubt. Jasper's hand tightened on hers.

"The vision hasn't changed." The group looked back at Bella, standing alone next to her rusty red truck. "She knows. Well, she suspects it, but she will know by the end of the day."

"There must be something we can do." Maggie urged, her eyes pleading at them, searching for anything that might give her hope.

"It isn't up to us anymore." Rosaline explained plainly, her eyes set on Edward.

The bell rang, its sharp clanging echoing across the campus, signaling the end of the first class. Students poured out of the school doors, their laughter and chatter filling the air as they rushed past Bella without a second glance. They were oblivious to the tempest brewing inside her, the storm of emotions she kept carefully contained.

And then she saw him.

From Bella's point of view, the world seemed to narrow as Edward Cullen appeared, crossing the lawn with his usual grace, a sight that always drew attention. But today, her focus was not on his beauty or the mystery that surrounded him. Today, it was on the urgency in her heart, the opportunity to beat her sister, to overpower her. Edward's eyes met hers, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. His gaze was intense, searching her face as if trying to read the thoughts she kept hidden.

She moved further away from him, her steps deliberate, her expression betraying none of the turmoil within. Their eyes locked, a silent conversation passing between them. 'Follow me.' her look said, and without waiting for his response, she turned from him, heading straight for the dark forest that bordered the school grounds.

Edward hesitated, his body tensing as he watched her retreating figure. Jasper moved to block his path. "Don't." It was almost a plead, almost, if his eyes hadn't been as dark as an abyss and his tone hadn't felt like an order.

Rosalie's hand reached out instinctively, but Edward was already slipping away. Her grip tightened on his arm, her voice low and urgent. "Edward, don't go. This affects all of us."

But Alice, always seeing more than the others, gently removed Rosalie's hand. Her face contorted with sadness. "He's already decided."

With a long and cold stare, Edward met Margaret's firm gaze and disappeared into the trees after Bella, the forest swallowing him whole.

"That's it. I'm going there." Maggie informed. None dared tell her otherwise, not even Jasper, though he stood there pacing nervously.

"Relax, Edward wouldn't be as stupid to even look at her the wrong way." Alice told him, her hand placed softly on his shoulder.

"The perks of being mates." Rosalie hummed.

The forest was a place of ancient secrets, where the light filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Bella stood among the towering trees, her heart pounding as she listened to the sounds around her. The chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves in the wind—everything seemed amplified, yet distant, as if the forest itself held its breath.