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Summer had passed faster than Mavis could explain. In what felt like the blink of an eye, school was only two weeks away, and she couldn't shake the nerves that came with it. Over the past couple of weeks, Mavis had spent most of her time driving around town with her sister, learning where things were, and figuring out the best routes to get around. She had also gotten a job at the local diner not exactly her dream job, but it was something to keep her busy. Cora had been the one to train her, and along the way, Mavis had been introduced to Angela and Jessica, two girls who went to Forks High School.

Mavis had been polite, saying hi and swapping numbers with them, though they didn't text much. Still, she planned on messaging Angela before school started. She liked her Angela seemed warm and genuine. Jessica, on the other hand, didn't seem to care much about Mavis being new. Not rude, just... indifferent. Overall, they were nice enough.

Since moving to Forks, Mavis had worked almost every day she could. That had been her plan: keep busy until school started. She figured she could pick up a few shifts during the school week too, maybe even weekends, but she'd have to see what Cora thought.

Mavis's shift had just ended, and her sister was supposed to pick her up for lunch not at an actual restaurant, but in her sister's office at the hospital. Mavis knew this wasn't going to be some relaxing meal out, but with them saving money, she didn't mind.

She stood outside the diner, leaning against the wall, waiting for Alaska's car. The sound of Rihanna's Disturbia blasted through the windows before the car even stopped in front of her.

Mavis smirked as she walked over and climbed into the passenger seat.

"When are you ever getting over this song?" she asked. "I'm surprised you're not sick of it yet."

Alaska barely paused her off-key singing to reply, "Yeah, well, you know me. Once I'm sick of a song, I can't listen to it without wanting to rip my ears off."

The drive to the hospital was anything but quiet. Alaska's playlist was a chaotic mix of new hits, and she sang her heart out the whole way.

Once they parked, Alaska turned in her seat to face Mavis.

"Okay, all I'm asking is... don't embarrass me," Alaska warned. "Seriously, Mave. It's a slow day, and the only real doctor here is Dr. Cullen."

Mavis grinned. "I won't embarrass you... yet."

"Please," Alaska muttered, rolling her eyes before climbing out of the car.

They walked side by side into the hospital, and Alaska started rambling about her office.

"It's so weird," Alaska said. "This town's so small that even I get my own office. As a resident! That's insane."

As they made their way down the hall, a man with honey-blonde hair rounded the corner. He was pale—so pale that Mavis swore he'd never stood in the sun a day in his life.

Alaska smiled as the man approached.

"Dr. Cullen! Perfect timing," Alaska said brightly. "This is my sister, Mavis."

The man smiled kindly and held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Mavis."

Mavis shook his hand, her own feeling small against his cold fingers. "Nice to meet you..." she trailed off.

"You can call me Carlisle," he said with a soft laugh.

Mavis smiled politely, though the name lingered in her mind. Carlisle? What kind of name is that? She figured it had to be a family name or something.

Alaska and Dr. Cullen started chatting, leaving Mavis to stand awkwardly off to the side. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, silently wishing she could just see this so-called "amazing" office already.

Finally, the conversation ended, and Alaska led her to the office. Alaska stood proudly behind her desk, throwing her arms out dramatically as she announced, "Tada!"

Mavis snorted. "I'm surprised you got an office. In Seattle, you didn't even get a locker."

"That's what's so weird," Alaska said. "Apparently, this office has always been here, but no one ever used it. It's like they've been expecting me or something."

They ate lunch in the office, and before heading back to her shift, Alaska told Mavis she could either take the car or walk home since it was only about a fifteen-minute walk. Mavis decided to walk. She knew Alaska had mentioned some shortcut through the woods, but Mavis wasn't about to get lost in there not yet, at least.

On her way out of the hospital, Mavis spotted Dr. Cullen again. This time, he was talking to a teenage boy. The boy was pale too maybe even paler than Carlisle and had brown hair that seemed to fall perfectly in place without trying. He wore dark jeans and a fitted gray sweater, like something out of a magazine. Something about him stood out, though. It wasn't just his looks; there was something... off. Mavis couldn't put her finger on it.

She caught herself staring and quickly looked away, heading down the road toward home.

When she got there, she grabbed her sketchpad and started drawing the boy she'd seen at the hospital. Maybe it was weird, but she'd just call it being creative. Something about him stuck in her head, and sketching helped her process things.

Time skip

It was sometime after five when Alaska's car finally pulled into the driveway. Mavis was curled up on the porch swing, her new favorite spot, flipping through her sketchpad. The pages fluttered slightly in the breeze, half-finished drawings scattered between blank ones.

"Hey," Mavis greeted as her sister climbed the porch steps looking drained. "How was the rest of your shift?"

"Boring," Alaska grumbled. She dragged a hand down her face like the day had worn her out more than she was willing to admit. "Nothing happened. I'm gonna take a nap, Mave. I'm exhausted."

"Alright," Mavis said with a shrug. "I'll just hang out here."

Alaska barely made it to her room before Mavis heard the loud slam of her door. The house felt quieter now, the stillness creeping in like a blanket. The kind that felt too heavy on your chest.

Mavis stayed on the porch swing for a while, legs tucked under her as she sketched. The pencil dragged lazily across the page, but her mind wasn't really focused.

Two hours passed, and the only thing she'd managed to draw was him. The boy from earlier, the one at the hospital. His face had been stuck in her head since she saw him, like her mind refused to let it go. The sharp angles of his features, the way his gaze had seemed too intense for someone she'd never met, lingered in her thoughts long after she'd left.

Her pencil hovered over the page as she stared down at his face, as if adding more detail would make her understand why he felt impossible to forget.

Mavis exhaled and shut her sketchpad.

She remembered something Alaska had mentioned earlier. A hidden trail in the forest that supposedly led to the hospital.

It wasn't like she had anything better to do. Besides, she didn't plan on going far, just enough to stretch her legs and maybe spot the path her sister had mentioned.

Grabbing her jacket from the back of the chair, Mavis stepped off the porch. The air felt cooler now, but the sun still lingered high in the sky. Summer days in Forks stretched on longer than she was used to, and it was hard to tell how late it actually was just by the light.

At the edge of the yard, the trees crowded together like a wall, dark and dense, swallowing the sunlight. Mavis hesitated for a second before stepping in. The forest pulled her in quickly, the air cooler beneath the canopy. Birds called faintly in the distance, and something rustled deeper in the brush.

She stayed close to the edge at first, weaving between trees and trying to make out anything that looked like a trail. If there was a path, it wasn't obvious. The ground was uneven, roots twisting up from the soil like skeletal fingers, and what little sign of a trail she could find was overgrown, like no one had used it in years.

Still, she kept going. Curious now.

If this trail really led to the hospital, why had it been left like this? Wouldn't people still use it?

Mavis walked deeper, her steps slow and careful. She wasn't too worried about getting lost yet, but the trees seemed to press closer the farther she went. Despite that, there was something beautiful about it. The sunlight broke through the branches in thin ribbons, streaking the mossy ground with gold. Wild ferns brushed against her jeans, and the air smelled fresh and earthy, clean in a way that made her feel like the forest had been untouched for years.

That was one thing she loved about Forks so far. The nature. It felt wild, like something that couldn't be tamed.

She was so caught up in it that the sound caught her off guard. A faint rustle up ahead.

Mavis stopped, her eyes narrowing.

In the distance, she spotted someone. A figure moving slowly through the trees. Blonde hair caught the sunlight, almost glowing against the dark backdrop of the woods. A woman... or maybe a girl. It was hard to tell from here.

Mavis watched her for a moment, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. The way the woman moved was strange. Slow, deliberate, like she was stalking something. But she wasn't holding a gun or a bow, nothing that looked like a weapon. Maybe she had a knife tucked away somewhere, but from this distance, it was impossible to tell.

Mavis glanced away just for a second. A blur of movement caught her eye as a rabbit darted past her, sprinting out of the trees and into the open yard.

When she looked back, the blonde was gone.

Mavis blinked, stepping forward like she could somehow spot where the woman had disappeared, but there was nothing. No sound of footsteps, no rustling branches. Just stillness.

She stood there for a long moment, feeling like the forest was watching her.

Finally, she shook her head and muttered, "Maybe I'm just seeing things..."

But even as she turned back toward the house, she couldn't shake the feeling that that wasn't the last time she would see something in that forest

V UNFILTERED

Hey guys!! Been a while 😵‍💫 whoops !

I just have been so unmotivated but WE FINALLY HAVE A GLIMPSE OF EDWARDOOO !!!

This is huge guys anywho I am gonna start writing another chapter but for those who are reading this is anyone interested in a Matt sturniolo fanfic?? I'm thinking of making one. by luvs!!

And don't forget to vote!!

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