As the History class came to an end, the low hum of conversation quickly filled the room. Chairs scraped softly against the floor, papers shuffled, and within moments, students began filtering out into the busy hallway.
Samael and Alice walked side by side, naturally falling into step as they made their way toward the cafeteria.
Alice glanced up at him, her eyes bright.
"Let's sit together," she said, as if there had never been another option.
"Of course," Samael replied, a faint hint of amusement in his tone. Then, after a brief pause, "Though we might not be alone."
Alice tilted her head slightly before following his gaze.
"Oh… you mean him," she said. "I don't mind."
Up ahead, Peter was walking in their direction, though noticeably less confident than usual. His steps slowed once or twice, like he was debating whether to approach or turn away.
Alice watched him for a moment, then leaned slightly closer to Samael.
"You found yourself a good friend," she said quietly. "Not many people would care whether they're interrupting."
Samael gave a small nod, a faint smile forming, and lifted his hand in a casual wave.
Peter noticed immediately, his uncertainty disappearing as a grin spread across his face. He picked up his pace and joined them.
"Hey, dude! What's up?" he said, his eyes briefly flicking toward Alice with clear curiosity.
"Hey," Samael replied, gesturing toward her. "You've probably heard of her already, but this is Alice Cullen."
Alice gave a small wave."Hi."
"Hi," Peter replied quickly, then added with a grin, "Yeah, I've heard. Hard not to."
"She'll be sitting with us today," Samael added.
Peter blinked."…Wait, seriously?"
He let out a disbelieving huff of laughter, glancing between them."I did not expect to see one of the Cullens join someone else at lunch."
Alice's smile turned just slightly more playful as her gaze flicked to Samael.
"Well," she said lightly, "he's a pretty good reason to change things."
Peter snorted, shaking his head before leaning closer to Samael.
"Man," he muttered, half-amused, "being friends with you might be bad for my self-esteem."
Samael let out a quiet laugh but didn't comment.
The hallway grew louder as they approached the cafeteria, voices blending into a steady hum.
Alice turned back to Samael, her expression bright."By the way, Samy, I brought you a lunchbox today. So don't even think about getting anything from the cafeteria."
Samael slowed slightly, caught off guard."You… cooked?"
Then something clicked, and his expression shifted, becoming more cautious.
Alice lifted her chin a little."I had some help," she admitted, "but I made most of it."
That didn't reassure him.
Peter looked between them, confused."…Okay, what am I missing? Isn't that a good thing?"
Alice blinked once, then understood immediately.
A soft giggle slipped out as she nudged Samael lightly with her shoulder.
"Samy, did you really think I would bring those vegetables?"
Samael exhaled, the tension leaving him.
"In that case, I'll gladly accept your offer."
Alice's laughter softened."Don't worry," she added, a quiet certainty in her tone. "I know you'll love it."
Samael's gaze lingered on her for a moment. He understood what she really meant. She had already seen it, in her vision.
Peter glanced at her briefly, a flicker of confusion crossing his face, but he dismissed it just as quickly.
Everyone had their quirks. Who was he to judge?
They stepped into the cafeteria, the noise rising instantly around them.
Peter's expression shifted as if he had just remembered something. A teasing smile slowly spread across his face as he looked at Samael.
"So you can be called Sam-"
But he didn't get to finish.
Samael's hand landed on his shoulder.
"You can try," Samael said evenly. Then, after the slightest pause, "But only once."
Peter blinked, the rest of the joke dying in his throat.
"…Once?" he repeated, a bit more cautiously now.
A faint smile spread on Samael's face.
"Once in your life."
For a brief moment, Peter just looked at him.
Then something in Samael's expression made it clear, very clear.
It was a line. One he absolutely should not cross.
Peter straightened immediately, almost like a soldier snapping to attention.
"Roger that!"
Without another word, he broke eye contact, already taking a step back as if distance might save him.
"I'll…uh…I'll go find us a table."
And with that, he quickly disappeared ahead into the cafeteria.
Alice watched him go, her shoulders shaking slightly with quiet laughter before she turned back to Samael.
"You scared him," she said, clearly entertained.
"Did you see his face?"
Samael glanced at her, a smirk forming.
"He'll recover."
Then, his expression softened slightly."Only you get to call me that."
Alice's smile shifted, softening into something warmer.
"Good," she said gently.
Then, a little more playfully,
"I wouldn't share it anyway."
…
It didn't take long to spot Peter.
He was already seated at an empty table, subtly guarding the space around him, turning away anyone who even looked like they might try to sit there.
One particularly determined student seemed ready to argue, but before it could go further, Samael and Alice reached the table.
"Thanks, Peter," Samael said. "For keeping the space."
Peter relaxed immediately, a grin spreading across his face.
"Anytime, bro."
Samael's attention shifted briefly to the student.
"Sorry. This table's taken."
There was no edge to his tone, but there was no room for argument either.
Samael didn't wait for a reaction. He simply took his seat, and Alice followed beside him as naturally as if it had always been hers.
The student hesitated, then backed off.
…
Across the cafeteria, the rest of the Cullens had already gathered at their usual table.
At first, there was a flicker of confusion when Alice didn't head toward them
But the moment their eyes landed on the person sitting beside her, everything clicked into place.
Emmett leaned back in his chair, a wide, triumphant grin spreading across his face as he placed his open palm flat against the table in Jasper's direction, clearly waiting.
Jasper let out a quiet sigh before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded bill. Without a word, he handed it over.
Emmett took it without hesitation, his grin widening."Told you."
Edythe let out a soft laugh, while Rosalie exhaled slowly, her expression composed but her patience clearly thinner.
…
Back at the table, Peter shifted in his seat before pushing himself up with a small stretch.
"I'm gonna grab something," he said casually. "You know… since I don't have anyone bringing me food."
Samael's lips curved into a smirk.
"Tragic."
Alice, meanwhile, was already reaching into her bag, her movements careful as she pulled out a neatly wrapped container. It was about as large as she could fit inside, covered in foil.
The moment it appeared, the scent followed.
Rich, warm, and savoury.
Alice unwrapped it with care, then placed it in front of him.
"Here."
He took it, his expression softening slightly.
"Thank you."
When he opened the container, the contents were simple but perfectly prepared - several sausages alongside a large steak, still warm and juicy.
He picked up the knife and fork, cutting into the steak before taking his first bite.
Alice watched him closely, her attention fixed on every small detail, every reaction.
He chewed slowly, taking a moment to consider, then gave a small, approving nod.
"It's really good."
Her entire expression brightened instantly.
"You like it?!"
"Yes," he replied, glancing at her. "The texture is right, and the flavour's balanced. I'm not particularly picky with meat, but I can tell when it's done well… and this is."
A soft, pleased giggle slipped from her, the satisfaction in her eyes impossible to miss.
Samael hesitated briefly before asking, even though he already knew the answer.
"And you? Aren't you eating anything?"
She waved the concern away with an easy smile.
"Don't worry. I had a very good breakfast."
He studied her for a moment, then gave a small nod and returned to his meal.
Not long after, Peter came back carrying a tray and dropped into his seat across from them. His attention shifted almost immediately to Samael's food.
"That smells better than mine," he said, glancing down at his own tray before looking back again.
Samael didn't respond, his focus fully on the meal in front of him.
Peter hesitated, then pushed his luck just a little.
"Can I try a piece?"
Samael's gaze lifted at once, sharp and steady as it settled on him. At the same time, his hand shifted slightly closer to the container, the movement clear enough to answer the question without words.
Peter raised both hands immediately in surrender.
"Alright, alright, man. I get it. You're hungry."
What he didn't hear, what only a few in the cafeteria could, was the low, almost inaudible growl that slipped from Samael's chest.
It was quiet.
But feral.
Alice froze for a brief moment, caught off guard by the sound, before her expression shifted, the surprise melting into amusement. A soft giggle escaped her as she looked at him, her eyes bright with it.
The growl disappeared the moment Peter leaned back fully, abandoning any thought of trying again.
At the Cullen table, however, the reaction was different. Every one of them stilled, their attention locking onto Samael at once as something deep and instinctive flared to life, a quiet but unmistakable sense of danger settling over them.
Only when the sound faded, and Alice's laughter followed, did the tension begin to ease.
Edythe was the first to relax, a quiet laugh slipping from her as her posture softened, the edge gone as she understood what had actually happened. Jasper smiled right after, the last trace of tension leaving his expression.
Even Rosalie's lips curved faintly as she eased, though her gaze shifted to Emmett, who hadn't quite relaxed yet. Without a word, she reached over, her fingers brushing lightly against his hand, and the remaining tension left him soon after.
Meanwhile, Samael's attention was back on the food in front of him.
In truth, he hadn't even noticed the growl. It hadn't been intentional, but from something deep within him, something that surfaced on its own the moment Alice placed the food in front of him.
That reaction, simple as it was, came from instinct.
Somewhere beneath everything else, the part of him that was not human had responded in the only way it knew how. Meat had been brought to him, and more than that, it had been brought by her, by the one he subconsciously recognised as his, by a lioness.
His lioness had brought him food.
And in that, there was no hesitation, no second thought, and absolutely no intention of sharing it.
…
The rest of lunch passed calmly.
Alice and Samael didn't feel the need to speak much, their presence was more than enough, so Peter carried most of the conversation. He moved from one topic to another before settling on organic chemistry, asking about compound groups and reactions.
At some point, Samael's attention drifted across the cafeteria.
Bella.
She was sitting with Jessica and the others, though she didn't seem fully present in the conversation. Her gaze moved through the room as if searching for something or more like someone. Every so often, her eyes flicked back toward Alice and Samael, curiosity and uncertainty mixing as she tried to make sense of it.
It wasn't difficult to see why.
They had arrived at the school at the same time, and yet the two of them sat together and spoke with familiarity that made it seem as though they had known each other for far longer than they should have.
Jessica, on the other hand, was unusually quiet. Where she was normally animated and full of energy, now she seemed dimmed.
Although Samael simply didn't care.
His attention didn't linger, and within moments, he looked away, the matter dismissed as easily as it had been observed.
Samael finished his food and turned slightly toward Alice.
"It was delicious," he said, his tone softer now.
"Thank you."
She met his gaze with warmth in her eyes.
"You're welcome," she replied gently. "I'm really happy you liked it."
Then, almost immediately, she continued.
"I can bring you food every day!"
Samael raised an eyebrow."Do I have a say in that matter, or has it already been made?"
She shook her head."No, you don't. It's already decided."
A quiet laugh slipped from him."In that case, I'll gladly accept such a fate."
He dipped his head in a playful gesture, earning a giggle from her.
Across the table, Peter watched them with a strange look on his face."You know," he said slowly, "being around you two might actually give people diabetes."
Samael glanced at Alice, catching her smile, before looking back at Peter.
"If they don't like it," he said calmly, "they can keep their distance."
Alice's smile deepened, her gaze lingering on him just a moment longer.
Peter looked between them, shook his head, and let out a quiet huff of disbelief as he stood, gathering his tray."I'll go throw this away."
As he walked off, Samael turned back to Alice.
"Was Bella the reason for your brother's… situation yesterday?" he asked.
Alice's eyes flicked briefly toward Bella before returning to him.
"Yes," she said, "he had some kind of… allergy to her perfume. He didn't handle it very well."
Samael nodded slowly."And that's why he's not here today?"
She paused for just a fraction of a second before answering."He's visiting our family in Alaska. It was already planned… it just happened to be today."
"Must be difficult for him," he said, but with a knowing smile.
…
After lunch, the rest of the day passed quickly. Classes came and went, conversations faded into the background, and before long, the final bell rang.
Samael was already waiting by his car, the air still cool and damp from the earlier rain as he watched the steady flow of people leaving the building.
Among them, he soon picked out familiar figures.
Edythe, Alice, and Emmett stepped out together, while Jasper and Rosalie were already at their cars, waiting.
Alice noticed him immediately.
Without hesitation, she broke away from the others and headed straight toward him.
"Did you wait for me, Samy?" she asked, her tone light, though there was a hint of curiosity behind it.
A smile touched his lips."It's only fair," he said. "You waited for me this morning."
She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing just slightly in playful suspicion."So you did it out of duty?"
"It's a convenient excuse," he replied.
Her smile widened at that.
"Well," she said as she stepped a little closer, "I need to get ready for tonight, so I have to go."
She leaned in, pressing a quick, soft kiss to his cheek before pulling back again.
"I'll be on time," he said.
A quiet laugh escaped her."You better be."
With that, she turned and made her way back to the others.
Samael watched her for a moment as she walked away.
Only once she rejoined the others did he turn, slipping into his car.
There was still time before evening-
and he fully intended to make use of it.
[Small announcement]
[From this point, future chapters will not be focused on school. This school arc was quite large, but my reason was simple: to introduce some characters and lay the groundwork for the relationships between Alice and Samael.]