Eclipsed Secrets

Newcomers and Old Secrets

The quiet hum of school life had become something Althea was begrudgingly used to. Days blurred into each other, broken up only by Rosalie's dry commentary, Emmett's pranks, and Alice's boundless energy. Surprisingly, Jasper was around her more often than not, his presence a steady and calming force she found herself appreciating. 

That morning, as Althea settled into her usual seat in the cafeteria, Alice's gaze suddenly turned sharp, her expression going distant. Althea knew this look—Alice was having a vision."What did you see?" Jasper asked, his voice low. He was already seated beside Althea, closer than she'd ever expected him to be comfortable with, though he hadn't shown any intention of moving.Alice's gaze focused, and she shot Jasper a knowing look. "We have a new student," she announced, her lips curving into a smile that was both excited and slightly mischievous. "And she's going to be... interesting."Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Interesting how?""Interesting enough," Alice replied cryptically, earning a groan from Emmett.Moments later, a quiet stir spread through the cafeteria as a girl with long brown hair walked in, clutching her books tightly. She seemed unaware of the attention she was drawing, though Althea could see every pair of eyes flicker toward her with mild curiosity."That's Bella Swan," Alice murmured to the table, clearly having already looked ahead. "She's Charlie Swan's daughter—the chief of police."Althea barely spared Bella a glance, more annoyed by the sudden fuss than anything. "So, she's the new kid. Big deal."Alice chuckled. "She'll be more of a big deal than you think."Jasper's gaze lingered on Bella for a moment, but his expression was unreadable. Althea shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the way her curiosity was piqued, though she refused to acknowledge it."Why does it feel like everyone is making a huge deal out of her?" Althea asked, rolling her eyes.Alice flashed a teasing smile. "Maybe because some of us know more than others."Althea glared at her. "Then stop being cryptic and tell me."But Alice just shook her head, her gaze flickering between Bella and Edward with a strange intensity. Althea followed her line of sight to find Edward staring at Bella, something shifting in his expression. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced with something she couldn't quite decipher. 

And it irritated her—everything about this new girl was somehow turning the Cullens inside out.The days went by, and Bella quickly became a part of the school's social atmosphere. Edward, who had always kept his distance from humans, seemed especially affected, his usual calm shaken. Althea watched as he kept close to Bella, even though he'd initially acted as though her very presence was torturous.It was irritating, to say the least, seeing everyone's focus drawn to Bella Swan. The girl didn't seem particularly remarkable to Althea, and her unassuming personality only made the fascination more baffling."Why her?" Althea muttered to Jasper one afternoon, as they leaned against the wall by the lockers. "What's so special about Bella?"Jasper tilted his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Jealous?"She shot him a withering look. "Of her? Hardly. I just don't see the appeal."He chuckled, the sound warm and oddly comforting. "Bella has... a certain effect on people. You'll see."Althea scowled. Everyone was in on some secret she wasn't privy to, and it was grating on her nerves. She didn't like feeling left out, especially not when Jasper seemed to know more than he was letting on.As they walked down the hallway, Jasper's gaze shifted to her, his expression curious. "You never told me much about your life before you came here."Althea stiffened slightly. "That's because there's not much to tell.""Really?" he asked, his tone knowing. "Because I get the feeling there's more to you than you let on."For a brief moment, Althea felt the faint, familiar tug of her gift—a power she'd learned to keep hidden for over a century. She wasn't ready to reveal it to anyone here, not even to Jasper. If he knew, he might look at her differently, might sense just how dangerous she really was.She shrugged, keeping her tone casual. "I guess I just prefer keeping some things to myself."He watched her, something intense flickering in his gaze before he looked away. "Fair enough. We all have our secrets."

Over the following days, Althea found herself growing more irritated with the way the Cullens were subtly drawn to Bella. Rosalie had made her irritation clear, expressing her skepticism loudly and often, much to Althea's amusement. The two bonded over their mutual disdain for the new girl's unexpected effect on their family.Yet, despite her irritation, Althea felt a strange, creeping curiosity toward Bella. There was something different about her, a quiet strength that set her apart from most humans. And, to Althea's annoyance, Jasper seemed to take note of it, too.One afternoon, as they sat outside together, Jasper leaned closer, catching her eye. "You seem more on edge than usual.""Do I?" she replied coolly, refusing to give anything away."Yes," he replied simply, his gaze warm yet steady. "Does this have anything to do with Bella?"Althea scoffed, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Why would Bella Swan bother me?"Jasper studied her, and for a moment, she felt the weight of his ability as he subtly sent a wave of calm over her. She resisted it, glaring at him. "Stop that."He smirked, but didn't withdraw his influence entirely. "I'm just trying to help."She exhaled, the tension in her shoulders easing despite her best efforts. Jasper was too perceptive for her liking, and part of her suspected he was aware of it."Fine," she relented, her tone softer. "Maybe she... unsettles me. It's like she's changed everything without even trying."Jasper nodded thoughtfully. "I get that. But maybe she's not here to disrupt things—just... shift them."Althea rolled her eyes. "You sound like Alice."He laughed, a deep, rich sound that made her stomach twist in an unfamiliar way. "Maybe Alice rubs off on us all after a while."They fell into a comfortable silence, and Althea allowed herself to relax, content in the easy company. Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she'd grown used to Jasper's presence, to the way he seemed to sense her emotions even when she tried to mask them. 

And lately, she'd caught herself wondering if he enjoyed her company just as much.As the days passed, Bella's presence at school stirred up more unexpected events. Edward's fascination with her grew, and Althea found herself silently fuming at his obsession. Yet, despite her annoyance, she couldn't deny the strange ripple Bella's arrival had caused within their family.The final straw came one day at lunch when Bella joined their table. Althea's jaw clenched as she watched Bella sit down, glancing at each of the Cullens with a mix of curiosity and caution."So... you're all together, like... a family?" Bella asked, her voice hesitant but genuinely curious.Althea couldn't hold back her sarcasm. "What gave it away? The similar last names or the fact that we're sitting together?"Bella blinked, clearly taken aback, but Alice flashed Althea a warning look."Yes," Alice said smoothly, covering Althea's remark with a warm smile. "We're a family."Jasper stifled a laugh, glancing at Althea with a glimmer of amusement. She shot him a look, but his quiet laughter only deepened, his expression warm and unexpectedly soft.As the conversation shifted, Althea felt a pang of guilt, realizing she might have been harsher than she intended. Bella wasn't aware of the complexities in their world, nor did she understand the risks. Maybe she didn't deserve Althea's coldness... but Althea couldn't shake her irritation.When lunch ended, Jasper lingered beside her, an amused smile playing on his lips. "You're not exactly subtle about your feelings, you know."She glared at him. "If everyone would stop pretending she's some magical creature, maybe I wouldn't have to be."Jasper shook his head, chuckling. "Sometimes I think you're harder on others because you're afraid they'll get too close."Althea felt her defenses rise, but something in Jasper's gaze softened them. "And maybe you're too optimistic, Whitlock."He laughed, a genuine smile lighting up his face. "Maybe. But it's good to be reminded that not everything's as simple as it seems."As they walked side by side, Althea felt the weight of her secrets tugging at her again. She knew she was different, that her gift—whatever it was—had yet to fully reveal itself. 

But with Jasper by her side, his quiet presence offering a strange sense of safety, she found herself daring to hope that maybe, just maybe, she was no longer alone in her secrets.

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A/N and here we are again, done with the next part, stay safe and leave a comment if you want <3