The Rise of Lydia Rowe ↠ Jasper Hale (ON HOLD)

[1.03] the new new girl

Lydia shrugged. "Are they related by blood?"

"No, the only two actually related are the blonde girl and the blond guy—they're twins, I think," Nina answered. "But isn't that kind of weird?"

"Maybe," Lydia said, not really caring about the personal lives of people whose names she didn't even know. "But it isn't incest, so who cares?"

Travis jerked his chin toward one of the two boys whose names Lydia didn't know yet. "The guy with the reddish-brown hair is Edward Cullen," he told her, "and the guy who looks like he's in constant pain is Jasper Hale, Rosalie's twin brother."

"I'd steer clear of them," Ashley warned, reminding Lydia of Kenzie during first period. "They don't like to socialize with anyone but themselves, and they seem kind of snobby. Especially Rosalie—it's like they all think they're above us common folk."

Lydia frowned. This was the second time she was warned against someone at Forks, and she hated rumors. She knew the pain rumors could cause, so she'd promised herself she wouldn't listen to petty gossip.

"Thanks for the warning, I guess," Lydia muttered, visibly more withdrawn from the group.

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A few tables away, the Cullens—minus one red-haired Cullen whose eyes were glued to Bella Swan—were staring at the newest new girl, their gazes ranging from curious to disinterested.

"I'm not sure if I've ever met a human whose scent wasn't appetizing," Alice said, staring at the girl. She liked Lydia, but the fact that her blood didn't call to her at all was a bit strange. "Have any of you?"

Most of the Cullens shook their heads. "Edward," Alice called, causing her adoptive brother's gaze to switch from Bella to Alice. "Lydia Rowe is human, right?"

Edward looked at the girl in question. "As far as she knows," he told her. "But it is strange that she doesn't smell good to us. I've never heard of that happening."

"Why does it matter?" Rosalie asked, clearly disinterested in the conversation. "We all just need to stay away from her—and Bella Swan," she added, looking pointedly at Edward. "We can't risk exposing our secret. Especially not to your blood singer."

Emmett wrapped an arm around his mate's shoulders, his touch calming the prickly blonde a little. Alice turned to the newest vegetarian in the family. "Jasper? How does she smell to you?"

Jasper raised a brow at the question. He shrugged. "I can't smell her with all of the other humans in here."

Edward's head cocked to the side, his eyes on Lydia. A frown overtook his face as he more than likely read the thoughts going through her mind. "What is it?" Alice asked, seeing the troubled look in Edward's eyes. "What is she thinking about?"

"Nothing," Edward answered, looking away from Lydia. Though Alice admired his insistence on not sharing other people's thoughts without their consent, she was a curious girl by nature. Still, she respected it, dropping the subject.

Alice leaned back in her seat, watching the tan brunette. She inhaled sharply as a vision invaded her mind. She sat up, watching the scene play out as a small smile stretched across her lips. Edward watched the vision through her thoughts, his brow furrowing.

"What did you see?" Emmett asked, voice full of curiosity.

Alice's smile was slightly mischievous as she looked at Jasper, then at Lydia Rowe. Finally, she thought, beyond happy for her best friend.