Twilight The Stranger's Gaze

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The salty breeze carried the murmur of the waves as Nate and Jessica silently made their way back to the circle that was beginning to form around the spot where the bonfire would soon be lit. She walked a few steps behind, arms crossed, her gaze lost in the damp sand. Nate's rejection still hung between them like a thick fog that neither dared to dissipate with words.

Nate, for his part, kept his eyes fixed ahead. His expression was unreadable, but his mind kept spinning. He watched attentively as Bella and Jacob talked near the shore, somewhat apart from the rest. The scene held a tension that was hard to ignore.

Bella laughed. But it wasn't her usual laugh—not the genuine one he had heard in gym class or the school parking lot—but a sharper, forced version, as if she were acting out a scene she didn't fully believe in. She leaned toward Jacob, her fingers playing with a lock of her hair as she listened to him speak.

Nate narrowed his eyes. On the surface, it seemed like flirting, but there was something else. A hint of tense curiosity, as if Bella was trying to get Jacob to talk rather than build intimacy. Jacob, for his part, looked delighted with the attention, puffing out his chest a bit more with each sentence.

This was not a casual conversation. Bella was searching for something, and she was probably finding it.

He was about to quietly move closer to listen more when a voice called to him from the opposite side.

"Hey, can we talk for a moment?" Mike said cautiously, stopping near him, shoulders slightly hunched.

Nate blinked as if coming out of a deep analytical state. He turned to Mike and noticed in his eyes a mix of insecurity and determination. He briefly glanced at Jessica, who had now taken a seat next to Sam in a clumsy attempt to seem indifferent.

He nodded.

"Sure."

They walked a few meters toward the tree line, away from the sea. Nate kept a neutral face, still interested in the strange attitude Bella had shown.

Mike stopped, hands in his pockets. He took a few seconds to find the words.

"Look… I wanted to apologize. About what happened at school."

Nate watched him closely. Mike didn't seem to be lying. His gestures didn't show wounded pride, just human awkwardness.

"At the time… I was interested in Bella. I don't know what came over me. But I think it was fair that you put me in my place. I acted like an idiot."

Nate tilted his head slightly. It was the first time he saw Mike with that kind of sincere vulnerability. No hostility was detected, only regret.

"No problem," he answered calmly. "I went too far too."

Mike let out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, well… I never thought you'd hit that hard. Left me with a sore face for days."

A small smile briefly crossed Nate's lips.

"I just got lucky."

The silence that followed was less awkward than before. There seemed to be an unspoken truce between them.

"I feel like an idiot for wanting to ask Bella to the dance when I barely knew her," Mike murmured after a while.

Nate shrugged.

"You're not the only one. Bella has that effect on the people of Forks. But… to be honest, I think you'd make a better pair with Jessica," he said casually as if testing the waters.

Mike looked at him, surprised.

"Really? I thought you and her were a thing."

Nate slowly shook his head.

"I'm not interested in that. And I think Jessica… was only interested because I was the 'new guy.'"

Mike chuckled softly, almost as if he related to her.

"You're nicer than you seem, you know? Maybe… I'll ask her when they light the bonfire."

They walked back. Approaching the group, Nate searched for Bella with his eyes. She was now with Angela, but her face was tense as if trying to solve something in her head.

Jake, meanwhile, stood near the area where they were going to light the fire, wearing a triumphant expression. Nate approached him quietly, hands in his pockets.

"What's up, Jake? Something good happened?" he asked in a low voice but loaded with intent.

Jacob smiled like someone holding a secret that burned his tongue.

"You have no idea, brother. I followed your advice, and talked to her normally. Told her things about the tribe. About our legends. She liked it. Seemed very interested."

"Just that?" Nate asked, amused by the 'normalcy' Jacob claimed he kept in the conversation.

Jacob hesitated a second.

"Well… we also talked about the Cullens."

The name struck inside Nate like a dull bell, but his face betrayed nothing.

"And what exactly did you say?"

Jacob shrugged.

"Just what my dad says. You know, those old superstitious stories he tells in a serious tone."

Nate nodded slowly. The confirmation he needed.

When they finally lit the bonfire, everyone gathered in a semicircle around the flames. Sparks flew into the sky like fleeting fireflies. Laughter, stories, and songs began to fill the air with a lighter energy.

Bella approached Nate without warning and sat next to him. She said nothing at first. She just looked at the fire, her eyes shining with reflection.

"I have a crazy theory," she murmured suddenly. "And I'll feel really stupid if it turns out to be false."

Nate barely turned toward her, elbows on his knees.

"What kind of theory?"

"I don't want to say it yet," she replied, with a serious expression. "Honestly, the more I think about it, the more absurd it seems… but I think it's the most solid thing I have."

Nate held her gaze for a second. The pieces had been there for Bella, and he was glad she didn't take long to put them together. Now he was sure: Edward's secret had its days numbered.