Chapter 4: First Days and Unreadable Minds

### Chapter 4: First Days and Unreadable Minds

The gravel crunched under the tires of Bella's rust-orange Chevy as Caspian Swan sat shotgun, arms crossed, staring out the window at the dreary sprawl of Forks High School. The truck rattled to a stop in the parking lot, and Bella cut the engine, her hands lingering on the steering wheel as if bracing herself. Caspian glanced at her, his golden eyes softening for a moment. "You ready for this, Bells?" he asked, his voice low but steady.

She gave a small, nervous shrug, tugging her jacket closer. "Not really. But it's just school, right? How bad can it be?"

He smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Famous last words." He didn't love this part—the awkward first day, the small-town stares, the inevitable slide into Twilight's tangled mess. But he'd read enough fanfics to know how to play it: blend in, gather intel, keep Bella safe. The system pinged faintly in his mind—*"Objective: Establish Presence. Optional: Assess Potential Threats"*—and he brushed it aside. *"Yeah, yeah, I got this."*

Stepping out of the truck, Caspian adjusted his jacket, the faint shimmer of his hybrid nature muted under the overcast sky. He was taller than most of the students milling around, his presence quietly commanding despite his effort to tone it down. His dark hair caught the damp air, and those ember-flecked eyes scanned the lot with a predator's calm. Bella shuffled beside him, clutching her backpack, and he nudged her gently. "Chin up, sis. We're Swans. We don't flop."

She huffed a laugh, and they headed toward the school's entrance, weaving through clusters of curious teenagers. Whispers followed—about Bella, the chief's daughter back from Phoenix, and about him, the mysterious older brother who'd returned out of nowhere. Caspian kept his expression neutral, friendly even, flashing a disarming grin at a group of girls who stared too long. *"Natural, not fanfic-y,"* he reminded himself. He wasn't here to broodingly stalk the halls like some edgy insert—he was Caspian Swan, Bella's protector, and he'd act the part.

Across the parking lot, hidden in the shadow of their silver Volvo, the Cullens watched. Edward leaned against the car, his brow furrowed, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Alice stood beside him, her eyes locked on Caspian with an intensity that made Jasper shift uneasily. Rosalie, perched on the hood, didn't bother hiding her scowl, while Emmett grinned like he was about to place a bet. Carlisle and Esme had stayed home, but the siblings were here, drawn by Alice's cryptic visions and the pull of something new.

"He's… different," Alice murmured, her voice a mix of awe and frustration. "That's him, though. I can feel it."

Edward tilted his head, his focus narrowing on Caspian and Bella as they approached the school doors. He reached out with his gift, probing for their thoughts—and hit a wall. Nothing. Not a whisper, not a flicker. His jaw tightened, a rare flicker of unease crossing his face. "I can't read them," he said, almost to himself. "Either of them."

Emmett raised an eyebrow, chuckling. "What, like Bella's some kind of shield already? And the brother too? That's new."

"It's not just a shield," Edward said, his tone clipped. "It's… blank. Like they're not even there. No thoughts, no emotions, nothing." He glanced at Alice. "You didn't mention that."

"I didn't know," she admitted, her gaze still fixed on Caspian. "I told you, he's fuzzy in my visions. I can't see everything—just flashes. But he's the one. Him and Bella—they're tied to this."

Rosalie slid off the hood, her arms crossing tightly. "Great. Another mystery we didn't ask for. And you're sure he's… what, ours?" Her voice dripped with disdain, though a flicker of curiosity betrayed her.

Alice nodded, undeterred. "Positive. You'll see it too, Rose. Just give it time."

Inside, Caspian guided Bella through the crowded halls to the front office, his senses sharp despite his casual demeanor. He caught the stares—the Cullens' included—through the glass doors, but didn't react. *"Vampire squad's here already,"* he thought, his system pinging again: *"Detected: Cullen Family. Threat Level: Low (Pending Assessment)."* He smirked inwardly. *"Low for now. Let's keep it that way."* Edward's mind-reading trick was a non-issue—his hybrid nature and the system's interference made him a blind spot, and Bella… well, she'd always been unreadable. Convenient.

At the office, they grabbed their schedules, and Caspian scanned his: senior classes, a mix of lit and science, nothing too taxing. Bella's was typical junior fare—biology with a certain sparkly vampire looming in her future. He walked her to her first class, ignoring the gawking students, and leaned down to mutter, "Don't trip over anything. I'll find you at lunch."

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thanks, Cas. You're… really good at this big brother thing."

"Always have been," he said with a wink, the memories of their shared childhood—real to her, crafted for him—settling comfortably in his chest. He watched her duck into class, then turned, heading for his own room. The Cullens were a problem for later. For now, he'd play the part: cool, collected, just another new kid. But under the surface, his powers simmered, his system hummed, and his resolve hardened. *"Let's see how long they stare before they figure out I'm not their prey."*

Back outside, Edward's frown deepened as Caspian disappeared into the building. "There's something off about him," he said quietly. "He's not just human."

Alice's smile widened, a spark of delight in her eyes. "Oh, he's definitely not. And we're about to find out what." Rosalie said nothing, but her gaze lingered on the school doors, a storm of reluctance and intrigue brewing behind her perfect mask. The game was on, and none of them—not even Caspian—knew how the pieces would fall.