Chapter 69

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Alice walked ahead of Nate down the bright hallway, her steps silent, hands clasped lightly behind her back as if restraining herself from skipping. Every so often, she turned her head to make sure he was still following, her short hair swaying softly with the motion.

The sound of rain was a constant companion, tapping gently against the tall windows, mixing with the cold, clean scent of the house that was already becoming familiar to him.

"Can I ask you something?" Alice said in that casual tone she used when, in truth, she was fully focused.

Nate raised an eyebrow with curiosity, tilting his head slightly. "Sure."

Alice tilted her head, her gaze fixed on him as they walked. "Do you do that with me too?"

Nate paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes. "Do what?"

"That thing where you measure everyone's reactions and say what you think they want to hear," Alice clarified, stepping back to face him directly, her golden eyes locked onto his, searching for a real answer.

For an instant, Nate held her gaze without blinking, letting the murmur of the rain fill the space between them.

"At first… yeah," he admitted calmly, his voice steady as he slid his hands into his jacket pockets. "When we first met."

Alice blinked but didn't break eye contact.

"And now?" she asked, a touch of vulnerability disguised as curiosity in her voice.

Nate smiled a genuine smile that softened his features.

"Now I like talking to you," he replied with a small shrug, "precisely because I don't feel the need to do that anymore."

A warm light sparked in Alice's eyes before she smiled, that genuine smile of hers that seemed to brighten even the cold hallway.

"I'm happy to hear that," she said softly before turning around and continuing to walk.

As they moved forward, Alice began showing him everyone's rooms, pointing them out with small gestures. They didn't enter any, but some doors were left ajar, allowing Nate to take a peek. Emmett and Rosalie's room was decorated in dark tones with meticulous order, though a faint scent of oil and metal hinted at Rosalie's hobby. Nate smiled as he imagined her cleaning engine parts in that spotless space.

Next was Edward's room. From a distance, Nate noticed books and music records scattered everywhere; to his taste, it looked more like a storage room than a bedroom.

"It's… restrained," he commented with humor, earning a soft giggle from Alice.

They passed Carlisle and Esme's room, which radiated a quiet warmth, like a capsule of calm amid the constant rain of Forks.

Finally, they walked by a closed door, set a bit apart from the others.

"Jasper," Alice said simply, offering no further explanation before continuing.

Honestly, that was the room that intrigued him the most, since Jasper was the Cullen he had interacted with the least.

They reached the last door, which Alice opened with a small gesture of pride.

"And this is mine."

Alice's room was a spacious area with a modern, elegant design. White walls reflected the gray light of the forest, complemented by light wood accents and floating shelves. The closet, with glass doors, was nearly as large as the rest of the room, with clothes perfectly organized by color and texture. There was an easel with half-finished paintings, clean brushes in a glass jar, and a shelf filled with books on art, fashion, and finance, mixed with carefully folded magazines.

There was no bed.

Nate walked slowly, letting his eyes take in every detail, from the brushes to a sketch of a dress pinned to the wall with a magnet. It was a functional space, aesthetic, but above all, lived in.

"I kind of imagined it would be like this," he commented calmly, a small smile on his lips as he slipped his hands back into his pockets.

Alice tilted her head, raising an eyebrow with amusement. "Did you think much about what my room would look like?"

Nate tilted his head slightly, keeping the smile.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't imagine a coffin," he replied jokingly.

Alice smiled softly, lowering her gaze a bit before letting out a laugh.

"Those are in the basement," she quipped quickly, drawing a small laugh from Nate.

They stood in silence for a few seconds until Nate took a deep breath, letting the scent of paint and rain blend with the cool air.

"I think it's time to talk to Carlisle," he said, a spark in his eyes. "Then we can help Esme in the kitchen."

Alice nodded, gently taking his arm again as they left the room.

As they walked down the bright hallway, Nate let his gaze drift toward Jasper's door, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Why didn't Jasper come around?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying a note of curiosity that Alice caught immediately.

Alice walked in silence for a few steps before replying in a light tone, though her shoulders tensed just a bit.

"He's not used to it," she said with a soft sigh. "He was the last to become 'vegetarian,' and it's hard for him to have humans in the house."

Nate tilted his head slightly, noticing that Alice seemed to be leaving out several details.

He probably doesn't like me much, at least not since I've been spending so much time with Alice, he thought, though he didn't say it aloud.

Alice added, "It's already a big effort for him to be at school around humans every day… so having them here, in this family space, is tough."

Nate nodded, his gaze fixed on the windows, watching the rain slide down in silver threads.

"I can imagine," he murmured, more to himself than to Alice.

Alice glanced at him from the side, saying nothing, though her smile softened a little before she looked forward again.

They reached the door to Carlisle's study, a door of light, elegant wood, solid and welcoming. Alice stopped, turning to Nate with that conspiratorial smile she always seemed to reserve just for him.

"Ready?" she asked, a curious glint in her golden eyes.

She knocked softly before opening the door, letting the gray forest light spill into Carlisle's study, while the scent of wood and old books drifted out to greet them.