Chapter 63

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Time passed, as it tends to do when you stop fighting against every second.

In those days, the relationship between Nate and Alice grew closer.

They had sat together for lunch a few times, sometimes at a quiet table, other times in the middle of the cafeteria's noise.

Other times, Nate ate with Eric and Mike, listening to their silly conversations, lazy laughs, and weekend plans that always ended up going nowhere.

But even in those moments, his eyes would meet Alice's across the room.

A small smile. A wave.

Something simple. Calm.

And little by little, Nate realized something that had probably always been there:

That the connection he felt with Alice hadn't been just a fleeting thing.

It wasn't just that strange chemistry he'd felt from the very first moment.

It was her.

Alice was optimistic, with a brightness in her eyes that felt contagious.

Sweet, in a way that never felt fake or forced.

And when she spoke, she did so with a lively energy that sometimes made Nate catch himself smiling, even when the topic didn't matter much.

He enjoyed talking to her.

About big things, small things, silly things he wouldn't share with anyone else.

About theories in books, about the people passing by.

About life, without needing everything to be so serious.

Still, everything stayed within the school.

He hadn't asked her to do anything outside of that.

Not because he didn't want to, but because… he wanted to take things slow.

Because he had learned that you could ruin things if you tried to force them.

On the other hand, his relationship with Bella remained cold.

They hadn't spoken since the argument.

No long looks or awkward greetings in the hallway.

Just distance.

But Bella seemed fine.

She was always with Edward, walking hand in hand, sharing small smiles that seemed meant just for them.

It was clear they had solidified as a couple, despite the curious looks and the whispered comments from other girls at school.

And that… was fine.

Saturday arrived unhurriedly, with a clear, cold sky.

Nate was in his room, lying on his bed with the window open, letting the cool breeze move the curtains.

He had finished his homework early, and now he was simply… there.

Feeling like he had too much free time.

He pulled out his phone.

Saw the chat with Alice.

From time to time, they would send each other messages: silly things, and comments about what was happening in class.

Nothing too personal.

Nothing too intimate.

Nate looked at the keyboard for a moment before typing:

"Doing anything today?"

The reply came quickly, as always.

"Nothing important. Why?"

Nate smiled.

"Wanna go for a run with me?"

There was a small pause.

Then:

"Now?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, give me 10."

Nate set the phone down on his desk, feeling that small, calm thump of anticipation that didn't bother him.

He got up to change, pulling on his usual comfortable clothes, and worn-out sneakers.

As he tied his shoelaces, he realized he was… excited.

Not in that anxious way that made him not know what to do with his emotions.

But in that quiet excitement, you feel before doing something you know is going to feel right.

The dirt path leading into the woods was covered in leaves when Nate arrived.

The air was crisp, with that scent of pine and damp earth that always seemed to clear his mind.

And there was Alice.

Already waiting, leaning lightly on the wooden railing that marked the start of the trail.

She wore dark athletic clothes, her hair tucked under a cap.

For a second, Nate's eyes lingered on her longer than they should have.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, ever since they'd started spending more time together, sometimes it was impossible not to notice the physical pull she evoked.

Nate always made sure to hide it whenever it happened.

"Hey," Nate said with a small smile.

"Hey," Alice replied, with that easy, bright smile of hers.

They didn't make a big deal of it before starting to jog down the path.

The sound of their steps over the dry leaves filled the spaces between their words, comfortable, unhurried.

"You know…" Nate said, matching the rhythm of his breathing, "This must be a waste of time for you."

"Going for a run with you?" Alice shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, all of this must feel slow and impractical from your perspective."

Alice let out a soft laugh.

"Trust me, I don't have much else to do anyway."

"No?"

She shook her head, pushing a loose strand of hair back under her cap.

"When you don't need to sleep, free time becomes… overwhelming."

She smiled, but there was a quiet sincerity in that sentence.

"That sounds kind of lonely."

"It can be," she admitted, but she said it calmly, without sadness.

They kept running in silence for a couple of minutes, maintaining a steady pace.

Nate couldn't help but notice how Alice seemed to match his pace perfectly as if adjusting to every variation in his breathing.

That curiosity, which had been with him more often lately, sparked again.

"Can you… run faster?" he asked, turning his head slightly to look at her.

Alice smiled, amused.

"Why do you want me to run faster?"

"I wanna see how fast you can go before I can't keep up," he added with a half-smile. "For motivation."

"As you wish."

And with an almost imperceptible gesture, she sped up.

Nate forced himself to keep up, feeling the cold air burning his lungs, while Alice moved ahead with a lightness that seemed impossible, glancing back at him now and then with that almost teasing smile.

They ran like that for a while, with Nate chasing that agile silhouette, until his legs started to burn and each breath caught in his chest.

"Ok… ok, wait…" he gasped, stopping as he leaned against a tree, pulling out the water bottle from his backpack.

The cold water tasted like heaven as he caught his breath.

Alice stopped in front of him, completely calm, as if she'd only taken a few quick steps instead of that entire run.

"God…" Nate said between tired laughs, shaking his head. "Vampire abilities are… insane."

"This is just the tip of the iceberg," Alice replied, with a quiet hint of pride.

Nate raised an eyebrow, curious.

"I'd like to see what you're capable of."

For a moment, Alice's golden eyes lit up with a conspiratorial glint.

"I wouldn't mind showing you…" she said, then glanced around at the trees and the open sky. "But it'd be better another time. You never know who might be watching."

Nate nodded, accepting it easily.

"It's a promise then."

The walk back felt different.

They were walking now, taking calm steps on the leaf-covered path.

Nate sipped water in small amounts while Alice walked beside him, hands tucked into her hoodie pockets.

For a moment, they walked in silence, listening to the crunch of leaves under their shoes and the distant song of a bird in the trees.

But Nate could feel it.

That subtle energy Alice projected when she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

A pause in her steps, a slight furrow of her brow as she looked ahead.

Nate, with a small smile, glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"You don't have to be so reserved, you know."

Alice blinked, stopping for a second before looking at him.

"What?"

"When you want to say something… it's obvious."

Nate shrugged, taking another sip of water before looking at her calmly. "You can say it."

Alice lowered her gaze for a moment, then laughed softly, shaking her head.

"It always surprises me how you don't miss anything."

Nate smiled, taking a few more steps before stopping to face her.

"What is it?"

Alice hesitated for a moment, playing with the sleeve of her hoodie.

When she looked up, there was a mix of curiosity and concern in her expression.

"It's about Bella."

Nate felt a small thump in his chest, but he didn't look away.

"What about Bella?"

Alice took a deep breath, the cold air forming a small cloud before fading away.

"I don't understand…" she said softly, choosing her words carefully. "I don't understand why you're still not talking to her."

The sentence hung between them, floating in the forest air.

Nate breathed, letting the cold air fill his lungs before releasing it in a long sigh.

He ran a hand through his hair, dropping his gaze to the leaf-covered trail.

"It's complicated, Alice."

She didn't say anything. She just looked at him, giving him the space she always gave him to speak when he was ready.

"With Bella…" he began, his voice low, "I think… I crossed some lines."

Alice tilted her head, curious, but didn't interrupt.

"I got too involved in her life," Nate continued a slight frown on his face. "I told myself it was to protect her, to take care of her… but in the end, I didn't trust her. At least, not enough to let her make her own decisions."

His gaze drifted to the trees for a moment as he scratched his wrist nervously.

"And the worst part…" he said, letting out a small humorless laugh, "is that all this time, in my head, I was judging her. Blaming her for getting close to a vampire, for not staying away from Edward… for risking her life for something she couldn't understand."

His throat tightened a bit before he added, in a softer voice:

"And look at me now."

Alice narrowed her eyes gently, without losing the calm on her face.

"What do you mean?"

Nate looked up, meeting Alice's golden eyes, so clear in the forest light.

"I'm doing the same thing," he admitted. "Getting close to a vampire… but consciously."

For a moment, they didn't say anything. They just stood there, the cold air gently moving the branches, letting the moment settle.

Then, Alice smiled, warm, with that natural sweetness that never felt forced.

"It's fair to want to stay away from vampires, Nate," she said calmly. "It's not irrational to be scared or cautious. Even we… know what we are."

Nate looked at her, his expression softening slightly.

"Maybe the species itself is dangerous…" he said honestly, "but you and your family… you've proven to be different."

Alice lowered her gaze a bit as if those words touched her more than she wanted to show, before looking back up with that genuine smile.

"Then… why don't you make up with her?"

Nate let out a soft, tired laugh, shaking his head.

"It's not that simple."

"Why not?" Alice insisted, taking a step closer with that calm way of holding his gaze without awkwardness. "Things are different now. You and I get along so well…" she said in a softer tone before quickly adding: "And Bella has already met the rest of my family. Edward took her to the house and everything… now you both think the same way, don't you?"

"We do," Nate murmured, with a hint of a smile.

Alice seemed satisfied with his answer. She crossed her arms behind her back and added:

"Alright, you'll know when the time is right. I just hope you don't wait too long. I'd hate for a good friendship to get ruined over a few disagreements."

Nate simply nodded. He had always liked that Alice cared about things like this, and now that he knew her better, he knew she made a big effort not to get too involved.

As they continued their conversation, Nate's phone buzzed in his pocket.

He pulled out his phone. Seeing the name on the screen, he made a small grimace.

Alice tilted her head, watching him with curiosity as he read.

It was Jacob.

It had been a while since he'd spoken to him.

And deep down, Nate felt a slight stab of guilt.

He hadn't just ignored Billy's words… Now he even felt bad about facing Jake, so he had been avoiding him a bit.

He opened the message.

"I went with my dad to visit Charlie.

We were outside when we saw Bella getting out of Edward Cullen's car.

They said goodbye like… you know.

I guess… she has a boyfriend now, huh?"

Nate felt an uncomfortable knot in his throat.

Jacob had mentioned Bella many times, with that mix of excitement and shyness he had when talking about something that really mattered to him.

It was obvious he liked her.

And now…

"Everything okay?" Alice asked softly, noticing his expression.

Nate cleared his throat before answering.

"It's Jacob…," he explained, putting the phone away again. "He went with his dad to visit Charlie and… they saw Bella with Edward."

Alice pressed her lips together slightly, understanding immediately.

"Oh."

"Yeah…" Nate sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "Jacob… had a bit of a crush on her. Though I don't think he even had the chance to tell her… and now seeing her with Edward…"

Alice made a small grimace, looking down at the leaves on the ground.

"It's hard… when something isn't reciprocated."

Nate felt that comment tighten something in his chest.

A shadow of something he didn't fully understand washed over him for a moment before he focused back on the conversation.

"Yeah…" he said with a faint smile. "I'll text him later. Luckily… he didn't spend much time with Bella. We only hung out a couple of times, the three of us, so… I hope he'll be able to get over her soon."

Alice looked up, smiling at him warmly.

"I hope so. I really hope everything works out for your friend."

Nate nodded, trying not to think too much about it.

They continued walking down the path, chatting about lighter things until the sun began to dip between the trees when Alice suddenly glanced at her phone before slipping it back into her pocket with a resigned gesture.

"I think… I have to go," she said with a bit of reluctance, dropping her hands back into her hoodie pockets. "I have to… take care of some things."

Nate smiled calmly.

"No worries. I'll see you Monday, yeah?"

Alice nodded, but her expression seemed like she wanted to say something more.

For a moment, she leaned slightly toward him, as if she was going to get closer… but she stopped, biting her lip softly before glancing around.

Nate watched her, intrigued.

And then, without warning, Alice vanished from his sight in an instant, running with impossible speed down the path, leaving only a swirl of dancing leaves in the air.

Nate blinked, letting out a soft laugh as he lowered his gaze.

"I'm never going to get used to that…" he murmured to himself, shaking his head with amusement as he started to walk back.

A smile crossed his face as he thought that maybe, just maybe, Alice hadn't wanted to show him her abilities just to leave him a little more intrigued.