LIMINAL || 𝙅𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙚 [1]

𝟞 | 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕤𝕤

My eyes drifted from the whiteboard, now covered in things like (t), y, and everyone's favorite, x. There was a circle on a coordinate plane, but hell if I knew what it was for. No, my eyes had wandered to the left of the room, near the middle of the column of desks closest to the door. I'd totally zoned out, not thinking about anything in particular. When my mind came to, I realized Jasper Hale was staring back at me.

Instantly, as if I'd been electrocuted, I swiveled my eyes back to the board and tried to look like that didn't just happen. My face burned, something I'd gotten used to in the past month. I tried to act like I was copying notes down and like I couldn't feel Jasper's eyes still glancing at me but there's no way I pulled it off. All of my tan from last summer had faded, just like my hair had grown out from blonde to light brown. My blush was on full display.

I didn't understand it much, but something about Jasper lately had started making alarm bells sound in my head. Really, all of the Cullens + Hale that I'd met so far had a way of slightly unnerving me. My one theory was that they were too beautiful. In nature, beautiful things were used to trap prey. But thinking that, let alone saying it out loud, was ridiculous.

Sure, Edward could be distant and quiet, preferring to talk to Bella rather than anyone else. However, his manners were impeccable and she seemed to really adore him.

And Alice was an absolute doll. She, like Angela, had been so genuinely kind to me since day one.

Then there was Dr. Cullen, who had given me a job that I probably wasn't the most qualified for.

And Jasper....well, my momma always said, "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." At this point, his one redeeming quality was his looks.

I had no reason to be apprehensive of the Cullen family. Still, no matter how much I had mentally repeated that, there was this fluttering sensation in my stomach whenever I spent too much time around them. It wasn't unlike being at the top of a rollercoaster, right before the big drop. I wondered if anyone else shared the same reservations as I did.

Before the bell in government, I tried to pick Angela's brain without her being privy to the uncertain feelings I had been experiencing. Her slight hesitation was equally as important to what followed.

"They're....interesting. They seem to always have everything going for them. Super rich, super hot, and super smart. They miss a lot of school for family vacations, but their grades are so good, the school looks the other way for attendance. In fact, the only reason Jessica had a chance at valedictorian is because she's been taking online college classes in place of her normal ones since they came two years ago.

She paused awkwardly, and I knew there was something else she wanted to say, but wasn't sure she should. Eventually she continued.

"Okay, you cannot bring this up around Bella. She's just now getting back to normal, and I don't know what we'll do if she crashes like she did last semester. Promise?"

I extended my pinky finger, hoping that she would go with it.

"Pinky swear."

Luckily for me, Angela rolled her eyes and grinned before linking her finger with mine.

Worry. Amusement.

And then, buried under about a thousand other feelings, was a hint of the same emotion I had been pondering. It was slight, like the shadow or ghost of its former self. Maybe one she had grown accustomed to or pushed aside often enough that she didn't even realize it anymore.

"So, Bella and Edward started dating last year, not long after she moved here. It was all kind of quick. Then in September, right after her birthday, the Cullens just disappeared. Allegedly, Carlisle had an amazing job offer and the whole family moved. They didn't sell their house; it was so abrupt, like they'd been abducted by aliens. But Bella completely spiraled. She barely ate and stopped hanging out with everyone. And when she did hang out, it was like she wasn't really there. That's why Jessica's giving her the cold shoulder, for ignoring her for a solid four months. Then, next thing we know, Bella has hopped a plane to Italy, no seriously, she took off. Didn't tell her dad she was leaving either. And when she comes back, so do the Cullens. Her dad grounded her for the rest of eternity. I'm pretty sure my parents would have murdered me."