The administration building was a drab, square box with opaque windows and a door that creaked when opened. From the outside, it seemed harmless. From the inside, it smelled of damp stationery, stale coffee, and bureaucratic disinterest.
But Nate Winter had already learned not to underestimate places like this. Often, the most unremarkable faces concealed the most valuable clues.
As he crossed the threshold, a phrase from Billy Black came back to him, as sharp as a warning sign:
"Stay away from the Cullens."
He had said it without explanation, without emphasis, but with that firmness that needs no embellishment to make itself understood. Billy didn't seem like the kind of man who talked for the sake of talking.
Why? Why them? Who are they?
Nate had learned that context-free warnings were the most interesting. Because they often concealed important truths.
He stopped thinking when he reached the counter. A woman with bright red hair—almost artificial—sat behind a stack of folders. She was in her early forties, though the heavy makeup robbed her of any precision. She chewed gum slowly as if everything in her world was happening in slow motion.
She saw him and, for a moment, seemed to react as if she hadn't expected someone like him to be there.
Nate noticed it instantly: his eyes lit up as soon as he saw him, his chin lifted slightly, and an automatic smile appeared on his face. The kind of smile that doesn't just happen to everyone.
He finds me attractive. Perfect.
He acted instantly.
"Hi," he said with a slight smile, his voice friendly. "I'm Nate Winter. I just got here."
"Oh, sure. Of course," she replied, her voice slightly higher. "Welcome, Nate."
He pulled a sheet of paper out of the file with almost rehearsed clumsiness and handed it to her.
—This is your schedule. You need each teacher to sign it today. If you get lost, don't worry: there are maps... out there. Although, well, not all of them are up to date.
Nate calmly took the sheet of paper, still looking at her. He lowered his chin slightly, smiled sideways, and watched her as if paying close attention to every word she said. He knew exactly how to modulate his expression to appear interested.
"Any tips for surviving the first day?" he asked playfully. "People I should hang out with... or avoid?"
The woman giggled. She had completely let her guard down.
—Well, that depends on what you're looking for. There's Mike Newton, for example. Friendly, popular. He's a team player. Jessica Stanley is very pretty, although she talks a lot, you'll see…
He paused as if searching his memory for more names.
Nate took advantage to strike.
—And the Cullens? I heard that name before I came. Are they here too?
The reaction was immediate. The woman's smile didn't disappear, but it changed. She became more rigid, more uncomfortable. Still, she answered, like someone who can't avoid talking about the subject even though she knows she shouldn't.
—Ah… yes. The Cullens. You'll recognize them as soon as you see them. They're… well, like you, she said, looking him up and down with a certain twinkle in her eye. —Handsome. Very handsome.
Nate kept smiling, even though he felt a slight rejection inside.
"And are they sociable?" he persisted carefully, feigning innocent curiosity.
But before I could get an answer, a second woman—wearing thick glasses and carrying a folder—approached the counter.
"Shelly, I need you to sign the bus report before eleven," she said in a hurried tone.
.
The receptionist—Shelly—sighed and nodded.
"Just a minute, honey," she said to Nate, turning to address the matter.
Nate took the opportunity to quickly grab his schedule. He didn't need to waste any more time with the secretary when he could soon ask his classmates about the Cullens. First period: Spanish. Building 7. Professor Goff.
He left the office without saying goodbye, his expression neutral. The humid breeze from outside greeted him again. But this time, the air seemed thicker.
"Like you," he had said.
Handsome? Reserved? Enigmatic? What makes them so different that they deserve a warning?
And more importantly… why had his instinct started to fire up the moment he heard their names?
Nate had felt this before. A gentle, almost imperceptible intuition, like a murmur in the back of his mind. Sometimes it was a feeling. Sometimes it was a certainty. But always, without fail, it had guided him toward something important. Something hidden.
The Cullens were something. I didn't know what. But I would soon find out.
Building 7 stood somewhat apart from the rest, flanked by tall pines that seemed to guard its entrance with outstretched arms. The sky was still covered with dense clouds, and the damp breeze that crossed the campus reminded him that Forks wasn't just gray—it was melancholy.
As he walked toward the living room, Nate couldn't get Billy Black's warning out of his head. "Stay away from the Cullens." The words had been terse, but laden with more than mere contempt or rumor. There was a tone… there was weight.
And it wasn't the first warning he had received.
His father—before dying—had also left him a clear message in his will:
"Never go to Forks."
Both warnings now resonated, like two dissonant notes that, for some reason, vibrated at the same frequency.
Nate entered the classroom of Building 7 quietly. The teacher hadn't yet started the lesson, but several students were already in their seats. Some noticed him immediately. His appearance stood out: taller than most, with slightly wavy brown hair messed up by the rain, almost gray-blue eyes that pierced like weight, and a calm but collected expression. There was something about his presence that seemed… too steady for someone his age.
He didn't have to make an effort to attract attention, but he didn't seem to enjoy it either. He walked straight to an empty desk near the window and sat down without looking at anyone.
The teacher, a woman in her fifties with reading glasses and a friendly face, approached.
"New student?" he asked with a smile.
—Nathaniel Winter. This is my first class here.
He handed her the schedule, and she quickly signed it before returning to the board. He barely murmured a "thank you" and turned his gaze toward the window. Outside, the trees swayed slowly, and through the mist, he saw a pair of birds fluttering around the edge of the woods.
Forks seems frozen in time….
Class began shortly after. Ms. Goff launched into a simple explanation of irregular verbs, with special emphasis on "ser" and "estar." Nate remained silent, resting his chin on his hand, absorbed in the movement of the branches rather than the lesson.
Until he heard his name.
——Sr. Winter, puede conjugarnos el verbo ser en presente?
Nate didn't immediately turn around. He took a deep breath and spoke in a neutral, non-arrogant voice.
—Yo soy, tú eres, él es, nosotros somos, vosotros sois, ellos son.
"Very well," said the teacher, somewhat surprised. "Do you speak Spanish?"
"A little. My mother was of Latin descent," he replied without emotion, looking back out the window.
Nothing else was said. The class continued, and Nate let his mind wander. He thought of his mother, Elena, always insisting that he learn the language of his heart. It was one of the few things she taught him consistently and one that, strangely, he never forgot.
It was then that he noticed.
The boy next to him, thin, with light olive-toned skin and slightly greasy black hair, was looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He'd seen him before. He'd been standing in the courtyard, awkwardly greeting the new girl… Bella.
Eric... That's how he introduced himself to her.
He watched him for a few seconds. Eric seemed restless as if he didn't know whether to speak or remain silent. His fingers tapped softly on his notebook.
Eager. Communicative. A bit of a geek... probably dying to say something. Perfect for understanding how this school works. And, above all, how the Cullens fit into it.
When the teacher turned to the blackboard, Nate decided to break the silence.
"Do you like movies?" he asked casually.
Eric looked at him as if he had been given permission to exist.
—Yes! A lot. Science fiction or horror? —he answered immediately.
—A little bit of everything. Although I prefer things that make me think rather than scream.
—Then you'd definitely like Blade Runner! Well, the original, of course. The new one's good too, but the first one... ugh, it's a classic. Have you seen...?
The conversation flowed quickly. Eric chattered away, animated, his awkward gestures accentuated as they discussed films, directors, and practical effects. Nate listened more than he spoke, but he allowed himself the occasional opinion to keep him comfortable. It was… refreshing, even.
But Nate wasn't interested in the movies, he wanted to know more about the Cullens, that's when he remembered what the receptionist had said, that the Cullens were "Handsome" so, naturally, he asked a lighter question.
—Tell me, since you're so knowledgeable... who's the prettiest girl in this place?
Eric laughed, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.
"Rosalie. Definitely. But… she's always with the Cullens." He said it without thinking as if it were a given.
Nate raised an eyebrow but didn't ask any more questions. Because just then, the bell rang.
Eric quickly gathered his things but turned to him before leaving.
—Hey, if you want, sit with me at lunch. I can introduce you to the group. It's not a big deal, but you'll get to know everyone faster.
Nate hesitated for only a split second.
"Yes. Sounds good to me," he replied with a half smile.
As they walked down the hall, Nate wasn't thinking about movies or food.
I was thinking about the Cullens.
And that same tug in his stomach, that echo that warned him there was something more, returned.
I know. Every time I feel this way... it's because there's something hidden.