Twilight The Stranger's Gaze

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Silence filled the car as they slowly made their way along the winding road that cut through the forest. The headlights sliced through the darkness in soft beams, and the sound of the tires on the damp asphalt was their only companion. Alice kept her eyes fixed on the road, occasionally giving quiet directions, though both of them knew something else lingered in the air.

After several minutes, Alice broke the silence with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You know? I think I'd get there faster if I just ran."

Nate let out a small chuckle through his nose, grateful for the attempt to ease the tension.

"Of course, you'd get there faster," he said, "but I'd be a terrible host if I let you go alone. Besides, Bella will want to know I made sure you got home and didn't throw yourself off the roof the moment no one was looking."

Alice laughed, this time with a bit more sincerity.

"You're right. She did seem very insistent that you 'make the most of it.'"

The car turned into a wide curve as the road lights gradually disappeared. The trees thickened as if the forest were trying to swallow the road, and then Alice pointed toward a narrower turnoff.

"That way. We're almost there."

Nate obeyed, and as the car moved among the darker trees, he frowned slightly.

"I never would've imagined I'd willingly drive into a vampire family's den. Especially in the middle of the night."

Alice shot him an amused look.

"Oh, don't worry. You're welcome anytime. As long as we don't eat you before you decide to leave."

Nate pretended to seriously consider it before replying with a smile:

"I doubt it. I don't think I'd taste very good."

Alice smiled but didn't say anything else. The silence returned between them—not uncomfortable, just dense, as if woven from the threads of what had nearly happened just minutes before.

Finally, the car emerged into a clearing. The Cullen house stood tall, lit by soft lights inside. The second-floor windows glowed like open eyes in the night. Nate stopped the car near the entrance but didn't move to get out.

From the driver's seat, he looked up. In one of the upstairs windows, he spotted a tall, still figure. Edward. Watching him directly, not even bothering to pretend otherwise.

"I'm sure everyone else heard the car as soon as we got close," Nate said casually, "but only he bothered to come to the window."

Alice made a slight grimace, somewhere between amused and resigned.

"Edward's not exactly comfortable with you."

Nate muttered without taking his eyes off the house:

"The feeling's mutual."

Alice lowered her gaze to her hands folded in her lap. The atmosphere seemed about to crack again, but instead, she simply smiled.

"Even if it didn't go as planned… I think it was a fun ride."

Nate looked at her. He didn't respond right away but gave her a faint smile in return. Something in his eyes said he agreed, even if he refused to say it aloud.

Alice opened the door and stepped out with her usual grace. She walked a few steps toward the house but suddenly stopped and turned to him.

"You know? Now that you're suspended from school, I have no way to contact you."

Nate raised an eyebrow in a slightly teasing gesture. He pulled out his phone, calmly recited his number aloud, and added:

"I think this is more practical… or you could just visit my house again."

And with that, he started the car and drove away down the road. He didn't look back.

Alice stood still for a moment, lips parted slightly. Then she blinked slowly and murmured:

"He doesn't miss a thing..."

Just as he was leaving the road that led to the Cullen house, Nate saw lights approaching. A truck was coming from the other end. As they passed each other, Nate turned his head just enough to recognize the driver.

Jasper.

Their eyes met for less than a second. Long enough to frown. Long enough to understand the other had noticed. The Jeep vanished in the mirrors, and headed toward the house.

Then Nate remembered the phone call Alice had received while they were in the car. Inside, he felt conflicted.

He kept driving toward the main road. He hadn't gone far when he felt a vibration in his pocket. Carefully, trying not to take his eyes off the road, he pulled out his phone. For a moment, he thought it might be Alice—but when he looked at the screen, he saw the message was from Bella.

Nate chuckled softly, surprised at how perfectly timed she'd been.

"So? Did you have fun? Did you make good use of the opportunity I gave you?"

Nate thought about it for a few minutes but chose not to reply right away. He kept driving. The town felt nearly asleep. It was already very late by the time he got home. He parked the car and entered without any trouble. His grandmother was already asleep.

He went upstairs, sat on his bed, and let out a deep sigh. He took out his phone again and reread the message. A recap of the entire night passed through his mind. With a slightly resigned look, he simply replied:

"Yeah… I think it was an interesting night."