Dusk & Dawn Ch.3 (Twilight) - Early Access (Patreon)

All characters in this story are over the age of 18

When Bella entered the classroom, she immediately searched for Alice Cullen. She stood by the door as the other students took their seats, filling the tables and discussing their upcoming projects with their partners.

‘’Miss Swan?’’ an elderly voice spoke, catching Bella off-guard. She turned and saw the teacher of the class approaching her with a kind smile. ‘’Thank you for joining us. I’m Mr Banner.’’

‘’It’s nice to meet you,’’ Bella replied automatically.

‘’You’re quite lucky. You’ve just us at the perfect time. You won’t be too far behind your fellow students,’’ he signed Bella’s slip and handed her a book with all the instructions she would need. He then gestured to the only free table in the room that was nestled in the far corner, overlooking the window. ‘’There’s one spot left. Your partner should be here soon. Hopefully.’’

Bella heard a slight trounce in his voice, as if Bella’s partner disappearing was a common occurrence. She kept her frustration hidden. The last thing she needed was a lacklustre partner who failed to show up or do any of the work whilst she was playing catch-up with the others in her class. There was still no sign of Alice. Perhaps she had confused their rotas. Bella sighed and walked down the aisle to her table. She tried not to set her expectations too high as she set her book down and took her seat. Mr Banner was walking around the room to distribute a microscope and box of slides for each table. The class didn’t start for a few minutes, so Bella kept her mind busy by doodling idly on the cover of her notebook. The room buzzed with multiple conversations. Bella drowned the sounds out until there was only a numbing drone to soothe her.

For a short while, everything was quiet.

‘’Hi,’’ said a sweet, cheery voice.

When Bella looked up, she felt her cheeks warm. Alice Cullen had taken the seat next to her that was further away from the window, angling the chair towards her. Her pixie hair bobbed slightly as she seemed to bounce with gentle excitement as she nudged her seat nearing, closing the gap as much as possible without completely invading the new girl’s personal space.

‘’You look like you weren’t expecting to see me,’’ Alice continued with a bright smile. ‘’I did tell you that we had biology together.’’

‘’I know,’’ Bella stammered.

She thought this would be easy, especially after working up the courage to see her in the cafeteria. But, she was hypnotized by Alice’s enchanting smile. It felt like Bella had strolled into Alice’s territory. She was out of her element. Her mind was spinning as she lectured herself, desperately hoping that she wouldn’t do anything to embarrass herself.

‘’So, I have a question?’’

Usually, Bella would hate it when a person would say that and leave the topic lingering in the air. Bella’s worries would spike as she dreaded the possible interrogation she was about to receive. However, hearing it from Alice, almost as if she was teasing Bella in a friendly manner, tickled Bella with amusement. ‘’Which is?’’

‘’Do you prefer Isabella or just Bella?’’

‘’You can call me whatever you want,’’ Bella grimaced. ‘’No, I mean…Bella. No one really calls me Isabella. B-but, y-you can…if you want…’’

‘’Oh, I get special privileges, do I?’’

Every time Alice smiled, Bella felt her heart skip a beat. ‘’I-I don’t mind. But, I’d rather go by Bella.’’

‘’Very well,’’ Alice winked. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to unintentionally give Bella a heart attack. ‘’Charlie tends to call you Isabella most of the time, so I just assumed it was a family thing.’’

‘’I guess it is.’’

Alice leaned closer. ‘’Just to clear the air, no. You can’t call me Al.’’

Bella laughed in response. ‘’I wasn’t planning to.’’

At that moment, Mr Banner started the class. ‘’Alright, I know that most of you know what to do, but for the uninitiated, I’ll explain. The slides in your boxes are out of order. You must separate the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they represent and label them accordingly. No books. I’ll be coming around to check. You have twenty minutes.’’

Out of the corner of her eye, Bella saw Alice lean on her elbow and slide it across the table until she was touching Bella’s arm. ‘’Do you want me to go first?’’

‘’I don’t mind,’’ she answered. ‘’We were doing similar stuff in lab before I moved.’’

‘’Then, by all means,’’ Alice waved her hand over the microscope.

Bella bowed her head slightly. ‘’You are too kind.’’

She cringed at herself. But, her self-deprecating mindset disappeared when she saw Alice smile at her. It seemed so sincere. Bella didn’t feel as tense seeing that Alice seemed genuinely pleasant with her. Suddenly, Bella identified a subtle difference in Alice’s face.

‘’Did you get contacts?’’ she blurted out.

Her face creased in puzzlement. ‘’No, why?’’

‘’Oh, your eyes seem…different,’’ Bella mumbled.

Upon their first meeting outside of Charlie’s house, Bella had noted how Alice’s eyes seemed to shimmer with a different color every time she blinked. At the time, Bella theorized that it could have been from the natural light. However, that excuse couldn’t be applied now. They were inside. Alice was shrouded in shadow. Clouds blanketed the sky outside. Yet, the pixie girl’s eyes had taken on a more golden tone; darker than butterscotch.

Alice was now the one who seemed flustered. For a fleeting moment, her pupils dilated as she put on a toothy grin and smirked at her lab partner. ‘’Any particular reason why you’re staring into my eyes?’’

Bella’s throat hitched. Rather than risk tripping over her words again, she snapped her head down and quickly placed the first slide under the microscope. The mystery of Alice’s changing eye color still plagued her thoughts. But, she decided that it was best to let it go. There had to be a logical explanation. And Bella wasn’t brave enough to question Alice further, nor to continue gazing into Alice’s eyes…as much as she would have liked that.

‘’Prophase!’’

‘’Confident, aren’t we? Do you mind if I look?’’

‘’Sure,’’ Bella said quietly.

Her body was uncoordinated due to her rattled brain. When Alice reached over to stop Bella from removing the slide, their hands touched. Bella didn’t gasp, but she should have. Alice’s fingers were ice-cold as if she’d been touching snow. Despite the icy contact, Bella felt an electric current pass through them, and Alice seemed to feel it too as she jerked her hand away. ‘’Sorry,’’ she said.

‘’No, it was my fault,’’ Bella replied, carefully pushing the microscope to Alice.

Bella watched as Alice examined the slide. Almost instantly, she pulled her head away from the scope and wrote down on their worksheet. ‘’Prophase.’’

There was apprehension coated in her words. Bella dreaded the idea that she had done something to offend Alice. She was willing to embarrass herself if it meant cheering Alice up. She bit her bottom lip and tilted her head at her partner. ‘’You’re right, I am a very confident person. Can’t you tell?’’

Alice’s smile returned, and the mood was lifted. She swiftly switched out the first slide for the second and glanced at it curiously. ‘’Anaphase.’’

They passed the microscope back and forth as they examined the slides one by one. All the while, they were careful not to touch each other’s skin again.

‘’Do you want to write them down as well?’’ Alice asked.

Bella shook her head. ‘’I wouldn’t want to ruin your clear and elegant script with my clumsy scrawl.’’

Alice giggled lightly. By now, it was clear that the two of them were far ahead of everyone else in the class. Bella could see many of them struggling with their slides. There were no problems with Alice. It almost seemed like she had done this a dozen times more than even the teachers. Her eyes wandered as she was gazing over Bella’s shoulder and looked out the window. ‘’Are you someone who enjoys the rain?’’

‘’Not really,’’ Bella answered, turning to watch the rain hit the glass. ‘’Cold isn’t really my thing.’’

Alice’s lip twitched. ‘’If you don’t mind me asking, then why did you move to Forks?’’

‘’It’s…’’ Bella hesitated. Her typical response would be to keep things vague and complicated. A combination that would shield her from more probing questions. However, her walls had come down for Alice. ‘’My mom got remarried.’’

Alice shot Bella a sympathetic look. ‘’You don’t like the guy?’’

‘’No, it’s nothing like that. He’s fine. He seems to really like my mom.’’

‘’Good,’’ Alice said. ‘’Then why not stay with them? You can stop me if I’m getting too curious.’’

‘’He’s a minor league baseball player. He moves around a lot. My mom tried to make it work whilst staying with me. But, I could see that she was unhappy. So, I decided to come here and live with Charlie. He’s wanted to spend more time with me anyway. It’s a win-win for everyone.’’

‘’Including yourself?’’ Alice quirked her brow.

Bella pursed her lips. She didn’t want to be honest, but she couldn’t lie to Alice either. She forced a smile and nodded. ‘’I’m here with you looking at onion root and having fun. I like to think that's a win.’’

It didn’t seem like that was the answer Alice was looking for. But, she didn’t pry any further. ‘’Just remember to think of yourself too, Bella.’’

Another wave of warmth rushed over Bella. She resisted the urge to laugh, fearing that she would let out a noise that would ruin this perfectly sweet moment between them. Bella watched Alice as they continued with their project.

‘’What about you?’’ Bella asked before she could stop herself.

‘’What do you mean?’’

Irritated with herself, Bella exhaled and decided to press on. Her interest in Alice was at an all-time high. ‘’You seem really nice to be around, yet everyone says that you’re always alone.’’

Alice thought for a moment before shrugging. ‘’It doesn’t bother me. I like being alone sometimes.’’

‘’But, that must be difficult in a full house…’’

Once again, Bella found herself revealing too much without thinking.

Alice grinned coyly. ‘’Ah, you’ve been learning about me. Who’s the one aiming to be a private investigator now?’’

‘’I’m sorry,’’ Bella said. ‘’When I saw you in the cafeteria, I was sitting with other students and they told me about you and your family. And…about a fight that happened last year with someone called Jasper. I’m guessing that’s one of your brothers.’’

‘’More or less,’’ Alice replied. ‘’It was silly. This guy tried to start something with Jasper. Jasper saw blood and didn’t hold back his punches. I think my dad put in a good word with the principal because we were all amazed that he didn’t get expelled after that.’’

‘’Your dad being Dr Cullen?’’

Alice nodded. ‘’Unlike you and Charlie, we have worked out way up to first name privileges.’’

Bella shared a small laugh with Alice. But, before Bella could attempt to continue the conversation, they noticed Mr Banner coming to them first. Bella didn’t realize that their time was up; the twenty minutes had soared past them. The teacher looked over their shoulders to glance at the completed lab and check their answers. ‘’So, Alice, I hope that you are helping Isabelle when needed.’’

‘’It’s Bella, Mr Banner,’’ Alice corrected politely. ‘’And, she’s actually been helping me more. She’s identified three out of the five.’’

Mr Banner glanced at them before writing their scores on his notepad. He flashed a smile. ‘’It seems that you two are going to make great partners.’’ He said before walking off to check on the other students.

Alone again, Bella turned to Alice. ‘’You didn’t have to correct him…’’

‘’Aren’t you the one who said that you’d rather go by Bella?’’ Alice winked again.

For whatever reason, Bella felt encouraged to carry on where they had left off in their conversation. ‘’Still, I don’t think it’s fair on you if you feel like you have to be alone. If the other guy started the fight, then Jasper has every right to defend himself. That shouldn’t make people afraid of you. I’m terrified around people, yet I’m not afraid.’’

Alice’s golden eyes glimmered. She looked away and tried to contain her smile. Bella thought that he had made Alice bashful, but she couldn’t see any color in the girl’s pale cheeks.

‘’I do like being alone sometimes,’’ Alice said softly. ‘’But, it is a little scary to think that I’m the last one here at the school while the others have flown from the next. I do appreciate you coming to see me. Not just for today in the cafeteria but also yesterday outside your house. It means something to me.’’

The color was most definitely in Bella’s cheeks as she tried to contain her excitement. ‘’You’re welcome. Trust me, it’s not healthy to stay in dark corners. Your skin is going to need sunlight at some point.’’

‘’If you say so,’’ An unrecognizable expression flashed across Alice’s face. ‘’You know…I think I’ve smiled more times just this morning than I have done for the past few months.’’

‘’Me too,’’ Bella beamed.

XXX

‘’Is what I’m hearing true?’’

Bella didn’t know when Jessica had joined her. There were so many students vacating the school, Bella was astounded that Jessica could find her in the crowd. ‘’Is what true?’’ Bella asked.

‘’That you and Alice were lab partners in biology?’’

‘’Oh, yeah. We were.’’

It was the only class that the two of them shared. Yet, Bella could not concentrate on any of her other lessons throughout the day. On a few occasions, she had Mike, Eric and Angela keep her company. They showed her the ropes whenever needed. But, all Bella could think about was Alice. She remained vigilant until the final bell, hoping to see her amidst the crowd. Unfortunately, they were unable to meet again. Wanting to test her luck, Bella glanced over her shoulder and tried to find Alice again as she stepped outside. By now, the rain was just mist. It was difficult for many to see beyond their own nose as they ventured into the parking lot.

Jessica adjusted her coat as a cold wind lashed against their faces. ‘’It doesn’t bother me. I get it. If I was into girls, I’d probably have the hots for Alice too.’’

Bella turned sharply to face Jessica. ‘’What? No! No, it’s not like that. I’m new here, and Alice knows my dad. And he knows her dad, I think. I…’’

‘’Chillax!’’ Jessica patted Bella’s shoulder firmly to silence her. ‘’I told you that it doesn’t bother me. I just wanted to know if it was true. You better be careful around Eric from now on. He’ll want an exclusive scoop.’’

‘’Is it really that big of a deal?’’

‘’Perhaps not,’’ Jessica leaned closer. ‘’I’m not trying to say this to be mean, but I’m getting strange vibes from her.’’

‘’You think she has strange vibes?’’

‘’I don’t know. And that’s the problem. You’ve probably talked to her more today than anyone else in the school has in their whole life. I can’t tell if she has you wrapped around her little finger, or if it’s the other way around. Either way, I’m rooting for you.’’

Bella nearly tripped as he became flustered. ‘’There’s nothing to root for. We’re just friends.’’

Jessica eyed Bella suspiciously before turning the other way. ‘’My ride is over there. I’ll catch you later. By the way, Alice is four cars down if you two wanted to do the longing look!’’

When they separated, Bella almost turned her head in the direction of where Jessica was pointing. However, he fought against the temptation. She knew that if she did stare, it would cement the fact that she was longing for Alice. Deep down, she might already know that to be true. But, she was wary about pursuing those feelings. Even if there was a chance that Alice liked girls, Bella wasn’t hopeful about her chances.

‘’I’m the strange one,’’ Bella mumbled under her breath as she walked over to her truck.

By the time she reached the vehicle, she had almost slipped twice. The ground was paved with black ice. She could see other students driving slowly, careful not to carve a path of destruction in their wake. Bella didn’t want to guess how long detention would be for the student who caused a roadside accident on school grounds.

Bella stood near the door of her truck for a moment. She sighed heavily and looked behind. There she was. Alice Cullen was leaning against the front door of her own car; a yellow Porsche Turbo. The extravagant style was a stark contrast to Bella’s wheels. Alice’s head turned in Bella’s direction. Before their eyes locked, Bella swiftly looked away. Her throat tightened. As she struggled to fight back the sudden wave of emotions that thinking about Alice brought on, Bella heard an odd sound.

There was a high-pitched screech which became painfully loud instantly. Bella looked up, startled. It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. The adrenaline rushing through her veins seemed to make her brain work quicker, so she was able to absorb the events that transpired next in vivid detail. A dark blue van was skidding towards her, spinning wildly across the ice of the parking lot. Bella was standing against the back corner of her truck and couldn’t react quickly enough to avoid the collision. She didn’t even have time to close her eyes. Suddenly, something grabbed her from behind and pinned her to the ground. A pale hand shot out. Bella’s heart stopped when he heard a loud metallic thud. It was absolutely silent for one long second before the screaming began. Bella heard people calling out her name, rushing over to check on her. However, all Bella could focus on was the person holding her with one arm…and holding the truck back with the other.

Despite everything, Bella felt cold in this person’s arms. She looked up and saw Alice’s concerned face staring down at her. ‘’Are you alright?’’ she asked.

Bella opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. Everything was happening so fast that she didn’t know where to begin. Her eyes travelled down Alice’s arm and stopped at the massive imprint that had been left in the van. ‘’H-how…’’

Alice’s face softened. It was the first time Bella saw fear in the young woman’s red eyes.

Red eyes?

Bella couldn’t tell if she had hit her head and become disorientated. Her heart was threatening to burst through her chest. Within the chaos, she heard a disgruntled moan coming from inside the vehicle. With Alice’s help, she rose to her feet and looked inside to see an unconscious student in the driving seat. There was a gash above his right eye; blood was seeping from the wound.

‘’He’s hurt,’’ Bella said. ‘’Alice, we need to…’’

She turned…Alice was nowhere to be seen.

Bella almost went looking for her until a swarm of people surrounded her to see what was going on. The flurry of activity kept Bella rooted. As some students checked on her, others were busy helping the boy out of the van just as the adults arrived on the scene.

‘’Bella?’’ Jessica shouted, pushing through the crowd to reach her. ‘’Bella? What happened? Are you okay?’’

‘’It was Alice! Alice saved me!’’

‘’What?’’ Jessica questioned. ‘’That’s impossible.’’

‘’I swear, she was just here!’’

‘’Bella, I was closer to you than she was, and I just got here. There’s no way she could have reached you.’’

The frustrating thing was that Jessica was speaking the truth. Bella saw Alice before the incident. She was practically on the other side of the parking lot. How could she have reacted to the van skidding and closing the distance so quickly? That doesn’t even address the fact that an Alice-shaped hand print was now forever etched onto the door of the van. Bella was left dazed and puzzled as she was escorted away from the chaos by the teachers.

Perhaps Jessica wasn’t exaggerating when she said that strange vibes were coming from Alice Cullen.