Little did Catherine Earnshaw know the hefty price she would pay for loving Edward Cullen. Their union spread through Harvard University like wildfire, turning Catherine from an obscure girl into the girlfriend of the campus Adonis. This transition was overwhelming, especially in the fishbowl of the womens dormitory where she faced a barrage of gossip and judgment daily.
Outside the teaching building, Catherine overheard the girls questioning her relationship with Edward.
"How does someone like her become Edward Cullens girlfriend?" one sneered.
"You know, those who seem ordinary are often the most dangerous. She might look harmless, but who knows what shes really like," another added.
"Did you hear shes an orphan?" a third chimed in.
Catherine walked through the gossip with a blank expression, her spirit unbroken. A group of girls, however, blocked her way, their faces filled with malicious intent.
"We have a question for you," the leader said, stepping closer to Catherine.
"Im afraid I dont have time for this," Catherine replied coldly.
"But we really want to hear your answer," the girl persisted, her face twisted with venom. "Did Edward only take up with you out of spite for his ex-girlfriend?"
Before she could finish, Catherine slapped her across the face, the Clear sound and echoing through the hallway.
"I may not speak, but that doesnt mean Im weak," Catherine declared. "Ive never been a good person, so dont push me to be a bad one."
The girl lunged at Catherine, grabbing her hair and pulling, while others joined in. Catherine fought back, but she was outnumbered. The pain from the blows was nothing compared to the agony in her heart as she saw the one person she loved the most looking at her with indifference.
Catherine wished she could ignore the reflection in the glass that showed Edwards cold expression, treating her like a stranger. The physical pain and the verbal abuse reminded her that this was her harsh reality.
She wanted to pretend she didnt see the indifference in his eyes, the way he shied away from her as if she were a monster. But the pain in her body and the taste of blood on her lips brought her back to the harsh reality.
"See, he doesnt love you as much as you think," the girl taunted, pulling Catherines hair to force her to look at Edward, who was walking away.
Catherine clenched her fists, biting her lip until she could taste blood. As Edwards figure receded into the distance, the blood on her lips seeped into her heart, nourishing a hatred that would change her forever.
Catherine left the teaching building and made her way to the garden, where she found Edward sitting on a bench. She approached him, her voice trembling with each word, "You saw it, didnt you?"
Edward stopped flipping through his book and looked up at her, his expression indifferent. "Why?" Catherine asked, not understanding why he could be kind to everyone else but so cold to her.
"If you didnt love me, maybe... I could try to be kinder to you," Edward replied, his words laced with a self-mocking tone.
He was an angel on the outside, but a demon within.