SEBASTIAN POV
Waking up in the stale motel bed, Sebastian groaned into a pillow that felt like it had been stuffed with drywall.
"I need to find a new place to stay," he muttered. "This motel sucks worse than those massage cups."
He rolled out of bed like a man escaping gravity's personal vendetta and dragged himself to the mirror.
"Tsk. My hair's worse than usual. Must've had a good dream. Still—" he grinned at his reflection, "—handsomeness undefeated. I'm like the second coming of Adonis, if Adonis had dark circles."
The wardrobe smelled faintly of ammonia and bad decisions. He stared inside, half-awake.
"What should I wear…?" He squinted at two identical hoodies, one zip-up, one not. It looked less like choosing an outfit and more like choosing between a sensible salad or literally anything deep-fried.
"Zip-up today," he decided, pulling it on. "The jeans? Eh, still have a couple of days in 'em." He said it like he had options. He didn't.
In the bathroom, he debated whether to "walk the cobra" or let the beast slumber. After last time, maybe better not.
He ran a cheap motel comb through wet hair, smiled at the mirror. "Still got it. Damn, I'm handsome." Then he grabbed his bag and left before the mirror could file a restraining order.
The school parking lot was chaos. Every student's car looked like a "before" picture from a restoration video. If pink wheel muffs, cut springs, and home tint jobs were "mods," then yeah, maybe.
A red truck pulled in—Bella's. It looked like it had survived at least three midlife crises. She stepped out, scanning the lot, holding a book and headphones.
Sebastian smirked. Didn't Edward make her think she smelled bad? Classic manipulation move.
(Do not attempt. Works only in Twilight or universes with plot armor.)
"Maybe I should try that…" he thought, then reconsidered. "Nah, I already got Alice on the hook. Or maybe she's got me. Hard to tell."
He wandered up the stairs toward the school, definitely not because he'd forgotten where his locker was. Nope. Not him.
"Forgotten where your locker is?" a soft, teasing voice said behind him.
Sebastian turned—Alice.
"Yes," he said flatly. "How'd you know?"
"I've been following you for five minutes. You walked past it three times."
He blinked, feigning shock. "Wait—you know where my locker is?"
"Yes."
They stared at each other for an awkward beat.
"Can you show me?"
Alice chuckled. "Sure."
She strutted ahead like a game-show host and, with a dramatic flourish, gestured to a locker. "This… is your locker."
"Ah, yes. Looks familiar." He twisted the dial confidently.
"You remember your code, right?"
"Of course I do," he lied with conviction.
He didn't. But vector manipulation was a hell of a cheat code. He brushed a bit of energy through the lock—click.
He turned to Alice with a proud smirk. "See? I remembered."
She clapped politely. "Bravo."
He peered into the locker, then froze. What class do I even have?
Alice grinned. "You don't know what class you have, do you?"
Sebastian sighed. "Nope."
"History, with Emmett."
"Right, right. I was just testing you."
He grabbed his books. "Thanks. Otherwise, I'd have shown up to class unarmed."
Alice smirked. "As thanks, give me your number."
"Ah yes, my number—" he started, then froze. Crap.
"...I don't have a phone."
Alice blinked. "You don't have a phone? How do you survive?"
Sebastian looked wounded. "Don't you know phones are government spies? They listen to everything."
She rolled her eyes. "You don't believe birds are spies too, right?"
Sebastian gasped. "How did you know?"
Alice groaned. "You can't be serious."
He shrugged. "Hey, even the pigeons look suspicious sometimes."
The bell saved them both. They split for class.
History class.
Sebastian dropped into his seat beside Emmett, the walking linebacker.
"What's up?"
"Nothin' much," Emmett grinned. "You?"
"Same. Your sister asked for my number."
Emmett's eyebrows shot up. "That's big. A girl asking first? That's serious."
Sebastian sighed. "Would've been. I don't have a phone."
Emmett blinked—then burst out laughing. "You got cock-blocked by poverty!"
Sebastian glared. "Shut up, or I'll tell Rosalie you're thinking of other girls' numbers."
Emmett froze. "You wouldn't."
Sebastian smiled. "Try me."
Emmett slumped. "You're evil."
"So is mocking your friend's technological setbacks."
"Touché."
Lunch came. The cafeteria: a crime scene where food went to die.
Sebastian grabbed what looked the least poisonous and sat beside Alice, who had been practically waving semaphore flags at him since he walked in.
She eyed his tray. "That's what you like?"
"No," he said. "That's what looked least likely to kill me."
He bit into the sandwich. Dry. Like eating disappointment with bread.
Looking around, he noticed someone missing.
"Where's the brooding emo?"
The Cullens paused mid-conversation.
"Who?" Rosalie frowned.
"The guy who looks like Cedric."
Blank stares.
"You know—green light, bald noseless villain, tragic death?"
Still nothing.
"Oh my god. Harry Potter doesn't exist here." He blinked. "This world truly is cursed."
Jasper finally caught on. "You mean Edward?"
"Yeah, that guy."
Emmett shrugged. "He's in Alaska. Family visit."
"Alone?"
A look passed between them. Alice sighed. "See that girl over there?"
Sebastian followed her gaze.
"The one who's been staring at us like we're a reality show?"
Alice chuckled. "Yeah. Bella. She's Edward's mate. And his blood singer."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Mate? Like… us?"
Alice blinked, caught off guard. "Yes… like us."
"And blood singer means…?"
"Someone whose blood is, uh, really tempting," she said.
"So, basically vampire catnip."
Rosalie smirked. "Only for Edward. The rest of us have taste."
Sebastian nodded sagely. "Understood. Gourmet blood. Limited edition."
The bell rang before they could dig the hole any deeper.
After class, Alice trailed beside him as he left, pouting like a forgotten cat.
He didn't notice her until she tugged his sleeve.
"Alice! When did you—?"
She cut him off. "How long have you known we were mates?"
He met her gaze, half-amused. "Since day one."
Her eyes widened. "Do you really not have a phone?"
"Nope."
She sighed, then brightened. "Come over tomorrow after school?"
Sebastian blinked. "Sure. Why not?"
"I'll cook something good."
"You can cook? Great. I haven't eaten a real meal since… ever."
Alice smiled and hugged him quickly before darting away, flustered.
Sebastian watched her go, smiling to himself. Maybe life here wouldn't be so bad after all.
END OF CHAPTER 20