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CHAPTER ONE ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜɪs
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The light that trickled through the wide windows of the cafeteria was little more than a thin vale of yellow. It bathed the table in gold, cutting through the blue-tinted shadows that swarmed the room. Rosalie reached out for it absentmindedly, her fingers edging through the brisk dusting of light. It wasn't strong enough or direct enough to bring out a sparkle- the clouds still hung across the sky in vast, grey blankets, obscuring the sun and diluting its rays until they were barely visible. To Rosalie's quick eyes, it looked like glitter, the odd bright speck breaking through the dullness of the air. Her fingers tingled, betraying her, almost wanting to expose her for what she was. Rosalie smiled slightly, lips twitching as she felt the twinge under her skin.
Her head snapped up, glancing around the room. Rosalie cringed, remembering to shuffle her legs around at least a little. Each time she moved too harshly, a fresh wave of tainted air filled her surroundings. The stifling scent of blood flooded her nose. It was always worse in the cafeteria, shoved in with so many teenagers, their heartbeats slipping at irregular intervals.
Once again, her head shifted, amber eyes catching herself in the reflection of someone's glasses two tables over. Even from there, she could see how perfectly her hair fell down past her shoulders in smooth, rippling waves. Rosalie didn't need to see herself to know she looked beautiful indeed while shrouded beneath the dull lights of the cafeteria. There were no blemishes revealed under the harshness of the bulbs, no mottled bumps or fine lines. It was, perhaps, the only thing that kept her somewhat sane in her neverending existence; the knowledge that she would never lose her ethereal allure.
From across the table, Edward's eyes met hers. From his look alone, Rosalie could tell he was listening, and there was doubt that he was judging her for the shallowness of her thoughts. She scowled, watching as he smirked slightly, head turning to instead watch another. There was no peace and quiet, not for any of them, and certainly no privacy.
Rosalie shuffled again, blinking her lashes, probably too hard, hoping this time it would shake Jasper from his stoic stance. He was staring just past her, his darkening eyes unmoving and eerie. It had been two weeks since they'd all hunted together, and even Rosalie, having been what the Cullens called vegetarian for decades, was feeling uncomfortable. Alice had already noticed her gaze, her eyes flittering between Edward and Jasper in their silent conversation.
With a huff, Rosalie turned away. There wasn't much she could do- it wasn't like they listened to her very often. But the thought of having to leave Forks, as miserable as it was, at such an early stage, made her boil with anger, yet again. It was always when they were comfortable and somewhat happy, that everything was turned onto heads, shaking the very foundations of their perfectly constructed lies. Forks was perfect too, with the few hours of sun the town got a week, the constant cloud cover and the thick, far-stretching woods.
