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They left The Lodge restaurant in the dim afternoon light, which was beginning to give way to twilight. The cool Forks breeze gently stirred the treetops, and the scent of damp pine and wet earth filled the air with an autumnal calm. The distant murmur of traffic mingled with the occasional song of a lingering bird.
Nate, Bella, and Jacob walked toward the car, though the atmosphere between them wasn't as light as one might expect after a shared dinner. There was a subtle tension, like an invisible thread stretching between their steps.
Jacob, lips pursed and hands buried in the pockets of his hoodie, strode forward with a frown. His frustration was evident, and though he tried to remain silent, his tense shoulders and shifty gaze betrayed him. He didn't look at Nate, as if avoiding his eyes was a way to preserve what little pride he had left.
-You don't have to worry about that, Jacob,- Nate said with a careless half-smile, as he opened the passenger door for Bella to get in first. -With the inheritance they left me, I have no problem covering things like this. Honestly, it's not something that affects me.-
He said it matter-of-factly, even though deep down he knew exactly why Jacob was upset. It wasn't about the money, it was the gesture. Jacob had wanted to pay, probably as a way to impress Bella, to prove something to her. And Nate, albeit unintentionally, had stolen that moment from him.
Bella, standing beside him, listened silently. Her face remained neutral, but her eyes took in every word. There was a mixture of surprise and a hint of discomfort in her expression, as if she felt trapped between two male wills silently struggling.
Just as Nate leaned over to close the driver's door, Jacob stopped in his tracks and muttered in a somewhat strained voice, -Wait a minute.-
—I'm going to use the bathroom quickly before I head out. The walk home is long and… I don't want to rush.
-Sure,- Bella replied automatically, giving him space.
Taking advantage of the absence, Bella turned to Nate and, in a tone that tried to sound casual, asked:
—Hey… what did you mean by that inheritance thing you said?
Nate blinked, surprised. He'd assumed Charlie had already told him the basics. He was almost certain that was the kind of thing you didn't leave up in the cold.
-I thought Charlie told you,- he replied cautiously. -My parents died a few months ago. It was from an animal attack. Or at least that's what they said.-
His voice lowered slightly at the end. Saying it out loud still hurt, more than he expected. He'd spent days avoiding thinking about them, hiding in his routine, his classes, his little investigation into the Cullens... but that morning Alice had lured him out of hiding with that little chat in English class, and now Bella was sticking the needle in his wound again.
Bella frowned, a look of regret and, at the same time, suppressed frustration.
-Charlie just told me you were the son of an old friend,-he confessed, looking down, as if embarrassed that he hadn't known. -And that's why he'd been inviting you over. I assumed... I don't know, that your parents couldn't take care of you or something. I'm sorry. I am.-
Nate placed a hand on the car door frame. He looked up briefly, gasping for air. Then he looked back at her and forced a small smile.
-It's nothing,- he replied, in a kind but distant tone.
Bella seemed to hesitate for a second, and then, as if driven by a sincere impulse, she stepped forward and hugged him. It was an awkward hug, full of good intentions but unfamiliar. Nate stood still, surprised. He put an arm around Bella's back, almost reflexively, trying to reciprocate without making it more awkward.
-No problem,-he whispered, even though he felt that thick knot of emotions building up in his chest. he'd been avoiding his feelings for so long that he realized it affected him deeply when someone noticed them.
At that instant, a pang shot through him. It was like an icy current on the back of his neck. Nate turned his head slightly, feeling watched. He scanned the street with his eyes, quick but alert. He saw no one. Not a movement. Only long shadows and trees swaying in the wind.
Before I could think about it any further, Jacob reappeared.
-Well, let's not get too dramatic here,- he said with a crooked smile, looking at the hug with a slight raise of his eyebrow.
Bella took a step back, clearly embarrassed. She smoothed her hair with one hand and quickly climbed into the passenger seat. Nate didn't say anything, just smiled to himself and started the car.
During the drive, conversation was sparse. A soft song played in the background on the radio, filling the gaps of silence with calm notes. The Forks landscape passed slowly by the windows: low houses, dense forests, and fog beginning to fall.
They arrived at Bella's house shortly before dusk. Charlie was waiting for them at the door, with his typical expression of a simple, protective man.
-I'm glad to see you're getting along,- he commented with a smile upon seeing them together. -Jacob, your house is far away. Nate, thanks for the ride. Drive carefully, it's getting dark.-
-Sure, Chief,- Nate replied, smiling back.
They said their goodbyes quickly. Bella walked in with a friendly gesture, though she still seemed somewhat thoughtful. Nate noticed that she avoided looking directly at Jacob as she walked up the porch steps.
Already on the way to the reserve, the atmosphere inside the car felt more relaxed. Jacob seemed to have let go of some of his frustration, at least on the surface. He joked around a bit, and they talked about the weather, classes, and a song playing on the radio.
But Nate noticed: Jacob avoided mentioning Bella altogether, as if her name were an open wound.
-Jacob,- he finally said his tone calm. -If you're interested in Bella, you have to relax first. Treat her like a friend. It's so obvious that you like her that she feels uncomfortable sometimes. But if you're patient... if you stay close without pushing... you might be able to open a space in her heart. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but I don't think it's impossible.-
Jacob looked at him, surprised by his frankness. He opened his mouth, but it took him a second to respond.
-You know... I like spending time with you,- he admitted with a somewhat shy smile. -Because I feel like you're like a big brother.-
Nate laughed softly, more with his eyes than his mouth.
—I like you too, Jake.
They continued their journey through tall trees, gentle curves, and the constant sound of tires on wet asphalt. When they approached the Black house, Nate felt the urge to ask. To bring to light the unease that had been growing since Billy had warned him about the Cullens.
But he didn't.
Because something inside him—a spark, an intuition—told him it would be more fun to find out for himself.
And Nate always preferred mysteries that unraveled beneath his mind.