Capítulo 20: What Is in A Name?

After dropping Seraphina off at her class, I headed to Biology II. The room buzzed with the low hum of student chatter, and I walked straight to the teacher's desk to hand him the slip for him to sign. With a nod, he pointed out an empty seat for me. I smirked when I saw Isabella seated there. It seemed she would be my biology partner until Edward returned. As I sat down, my gaze wandered to the window, catching a glimpse of my crow friends perched in a nearby tree. They were marked with a beautiful red and black spark, signifying our bond. It appeared they had made a friend, as a black cat tried to scratch at one of my crows.

"Um, you know the Cullens?" Isabella's voice pulled me away from my musings. I turned to her, noting her curious expression.

"No, not really. Today is the first of our meeting. Why do you ask?" I inquired as I watched the teacher go from table to table, handing out sheets.

"Oh. It's just that you and Phina looked familiar with them is all," she stammered.

I raised an eyebrow, just as the teacher stopped at our table to hand us a sheet before moving on. "Who is this Phina you mentioned? Are you referring to Seraphina? If so, please don't call her that. She, like I, does not enjoy having our names butchered."

Isabella flinched at my tone. "Ah... right. Sorry."

The teacher started explaining the assignment, which was about cell structure and functions. Simple enough.

"Why don't you like nicknames?" Isabella asked quietly, her face hidden behind her long brown hair as she wrote on her sheet.

"Hmm. It's because I, and by extension Seraphina, were raised by parents with vintage names. They raised us to appreciate the names we were given. Names have power, so we should always cherish the ones we have. A name comes with a history that you inherit—all the grief, wars, merriness, pain, loss... everything that each name experienced, you will share. When you look up a famous Isabella in the history books, you share a part of her history. Your name is not Bella; that is not the name your parents gave you. My name is not Kai or Mal. Seraphina's name is not Phina or Sera. You may do what you like, Isabella, and allow others to call you what you want, but do not expect me to comply with your wishes."

I pushed my sheet away from me after I finished. I noticed everyone, including Isabella, was still writing.

"That makes sense... in an old-fashioned kind of way," Isabella mused, looking at me with curious eyes. "Are all English men and women like that? Old thinkers, I mean."

I chuckled at her joke. "No, I do not think so. Can you imagine how stale every conversation would be?"

She smirked, and I could see the walls she had around herself lowering slightly.

As the class continued, we worked quietly together, a comfortable silence settling between us. I occasionally caught her glancing at me from the corner of her eye, her curiosity evident. She seemed intrigued by my mannerisms and the way I spoke. When the teacher came around to check our progress, he seemed pleased with our work and moved on quickly, allowing us a few more minutes to converse.

"So, what brought you to Forks?" Isabella asked, genuinely interested.

"My family decided it was time for a change of scenery. We enjoy the tranquility of smaller towns and the beauty of nature that surrounds them. Forks seemed like a perfect place for us to settle down for a while," I explained, keeping my tone light.

"Do you miss England?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"There are parts of it I miss, yes. The history, the architecture, the familiar places... but change is not necessarily a bad thing. It can be quite refreshing," I replied with a smile.

Isabella nodded thoughtfully, her expression contemplative. "I've never been to England, but it sounds fascinating."

"It is," I agreed. "Perhaps someday you'll have the chance to visit and see it for yourself."

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the class, we gathered our things and stood up. I escorted Isabella to her next class, parting ways with a polite nod before heading to my own. The rest of the day passed in a blur of new faces and familiar routines, but the encounter with Isabella lingered in my mind.

When the final bell rang, I met up with Seraphina at the front of the school. She was waiting for me, leaning against the sleek black Aston Martin DB9 Volante with an air of casual elegance. Her green eyes sparkled as she saw me approach, and a smile curved her lips.

"How was your day, my love?" she asked as I opened the car door for her.

I smirked.

_________________________________________________

Sorry, not sorry. This was me just venting about stupid names nowadays. I met a girl today named Dorcas. She told me her friends and family call her Dork or Dorkie. It took all my self-control not to laugh or cry. Some names should not be shortened... or even put on a birth certificate.

Just out of curiosity, if you want, let me know if you heard any names that you thought should be a band. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Anyway, I'll write you tomorrow. Haha. Do you see what I did there? Hahaha... man, I'm tired.