Twilight The Stranger's Gaze

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The rest of the day passed naturally.

Quiet, uneventful.

Nate didn't do anything particularly memorable, and yet, something in him felt different.

His grandmother, perceptive as always, seemed to notice.

At one point in the afternoon, as they passed each other in the hallway, she gave him a look that was half curious, half amused, as if wondering what kind of miracle could explain this unexpected good mood.

But she didn't say anything.

And he was grateful for that.

That night, he went to bed earlier than usual.

Not because he was tired, but because he didn't feel the need to fight against sleep.

As he settled under the covers, his gaze drifted toward the phone on his nightstand.

Nothing.

Alice hadn't replied.

For a second, he stared at the dark screen.

But he didn't feel disappointed.

He simply thought: I'll see her tomorrow.

And that was enough.

The next morning arrived wrapped in fresh air.

Nate woke up early, mind clear, body light.

He went out for a run before breakfast, letting the cold breeze bite at his cheeks while the steady rhythm of his steps brought order to his thoughts.

When he returned home, he ate something, showered unhurriedly, and headed to school.

He arrived early. Very early.

He stopped for a moment in front of the building, backpack slung over his shoulder, and took a deep breath.

Not out of anxiety, but out of habit.

A way to center his mind.

Not out of necessity, but out of choice.

A way to mark the start of something new.

He carried a different attitude.

A renewed focus.

And even though he knew not everything would be resolved overnight, he felt unusually fresh.

As if shedding all that emotional baggage had returned a part of himself he had long forgotten.

He felt strangely good.

More than good... content.

That's when he saw it.

Edward's silver Volvo pulled into the parking lot.

It stopped with precision.

Edward stepped out from the driver's side, immediately moving with quiet elegance toward the passenger door.

He opened it.

Bella stepped out.

They looked at each other for a moment, took each other's hands... and began walking toward the building together.

There was an almost instant murmur among the students.

Whispers, nudges, surprised glances.

The kind of stir only an unlikely couple could cause.

Edward was smiling.

For real.

Not with that diplomatic expression, he wore for the world.

It was a light, lively smile.

For the first time since Nate had known him, Edward Cullen looked truly happy.

And Bella... was too.

She seemed nervous, yes. But not uncomfortable.

There was something calm in her face. A quiet determination.

Nate watched them in silence.

And for a moment, Bella looked up and saw him.

Her gaze tensed.

She paused, just for an instant.

As if she didn't know what to expect from him.

But she didn't let go of Edward's hand.

And she kept walking.

Nate didn't say anything.

He simply smiled, very faintly, to himself.

It made him happy.

Truly.

To see things working out.

Bella had shown him that it's not always about running from danger... but about carefully choosing when it's worth taking a risk.

And even though things between them were still tense,

he was glad for her.

Classes passed calmly.

The hallways, the teachers, the routine.

During government class, Nate noticed that Edward still carried that strange, positive energy.

He didn't speak much, but he seemed... different.

Looser.

More present.

There was a moment when Edward seemed to hesitate.

He glanced at Nate as if he wanted to say something or come over.

But after a brief pause, he sat somewhere else.

The gesture didn't go unnoticed.

Nate saw it.

But he didn't take it badly.

This time, he decided to let it go.

I'm not getting involved in that anymore, he thought.

At lunchtime, Nate lined up in the cafeteria.

He grabbed a tray without thinking much about it: a burger that looked more pale than appetizing and a soda.

He sighed a little at the sight but kept walking toward the tables.

That's when he saw her.

Alice.

She was sitting with her siblings a few seats away, her tray untouched in front of her.

And she was looking at him.

She seemed conflicted.

As if part of her wanted to get up while the other part clung to the seat.

Even her hands were tense, gripping the edges of the table.

Nate watched her for a moment, unhurried.

Then he smiled at her.

And raised a hand in a small, subtle gesture, inviting her to come over.

Alice blinked.

As if she wasn't sure she had seen correctly.

Her expression turned a little confused.

Almost disbelieving.

But then she stood up.

Picked up her tray and began walking toward him, her steps like those of a wild animal approaching something unknown.

Her siblings watched her, caught between confusion and surprise.

Even Bella, sitting next to Edward, raised an eyebrow.

Alice moved with clear uncertainty.

As if she didn't know whether she was about to be accepted... or rejected.

Nate, with a calm smile, nodded toward an empty table with his head.

"We can eat over there," he said.

She hesitated. Still looked bewildered.

"Are you sure about this?" she murmured, looking at him with wide eyes as if expecting him to change his mind.

Nate pretended not to understand.

"What? The burger?" he asked, playfully. "Nothing better than eating something that looks like melted plastic."

Alice let out a small laugh.

But it was genuine.

And something like relief crossed her face.

As if the tension holding her up inside slowly loosened.

They sat down together.

The cafeteria, with its noise and the smell of reheated food, turned into a quiet space.

Nate watched her as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile still present.

And for the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to simply enjoy being exactly where he was.