Veil of Desire - Jasper Hale

1.12

Catalina felt her heart rate quicken as she stood by the school's cafeteria entrance, watching Alice and Jasper waiting for her. Today, for the first time, they had invited her to sit with the Cullens—Alice and Jasper had been sure to reassure her that the others were completely fine with it. But as she gripped her lunch tray tightly, she could feel a thousand tiny doubts creeping up on her.

Would she belong at their table? Would it feel as easy as it did when she was with just Jasper, or would she feel out of place? Alice, with her always uncanny awareness, seemed to pick up on Catalina's nerves. She gave Catalina's arm a gentle, reassuring pat, her smile full of warmth.

"You're going to be fine," Alice promised, her tone light and soothing.

Catalina smiled back, albeit a bit nervously. "Yeah, I know. Just...a little nervous, that's all."

She looked over to her usual table. Angela, Jessica, and Bella were already watching her, curiosity clear on their faces. She offered them a small, tentative smile, then excused herself with a glance and turned to join Alice and Jasper.

Back at her old table, Jessica made a face. "I knew this would happen eventually," she muttered, crossing her arms.

Angela simply shrugged, watching Catalina with a sympathetic look. "They're her friends too. Nothing wrong with her wanting to sit with them sometimes."

Bella, though silent, wore a thoughtful expression. She couldn't help but wonder—if Catalina knew the Cullens as well as it seemed, did she know their secret? And if so...how long had she known?

---

The cafeteria seemed quieter than usual as Catalina followed Alice and Jasper to their usual table by the windows. The Cullens were clustered together, and she noticed Edward and Emmett talking while Rosalie glanced out the window, a slight frown on her face. Emmett spotted her first, grinning widely.

"Cat! Big day, huh?" he said, his eyes bright with excitement. "Ready to join the big leagues?"

Catalina laughed softly, grateful for his usual, cheerful energy. "I feel like I should've brought a disguise," she joked, glancing at the students openly staring at them.

"Trust me, the stares will die down," Jasper assured her as she sat down between him and Alice. He gave her a calm, steady look, and she could feel his gift working, her nerves easing almost immediately. "They're just curious."

She noticed Rosalie sitting quietly across from her, her expression cool but not as guarded as Catalina had feared. Although Catalina had briefly met each of the Cullens before, she hadn't had much interaction with Rosalie, and she could feel the blonde's intense gaze studying her.

"You must be Catalina," Rosalie finally said, her tone measured and even. "Alice and Jasper mention you quite a bit."

There was an edge to Rosalie's words, but Catalina sensed that it wasn't hostility, just a well-earned wariness. "Yes, and I've heard a lot about you too," Catalina replied calmly, offering her a polite smile.

Alice, always sensitive to shifts in the group's mood, clapped her hands to break the tension. "Alright! Now that we're all here, let's catch up! Catalina, how's your day been so far?"

Catalina shrugged, trying to seem casual as she responded. "Not too bad—although, if I'm honest, all this feels a little surreal."

Edward chuckled, his eyes meeting hers with a knowing look. "Not everyone gets invited to our table. It takes a special kind of person."

Emmett gave her a playful wink. "Yeah, or a very brave one." He looked to Rosalie. "I took some time to warm up to Rosalie, so I wouldn't take it personally if you feel overwhelmed."