(Ash's POV)
I didn't know how long we sat there. The mist moved lazily over the valley, curling around the trees below like something alive. The sun remained hidden behind thick clouds, casting the world in soft, muted grays. The distant sound of rustling leaves and the occasional cry of a bird were the only disturbances in the quiet.
But the silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was steady. Grounding.
Something I hadn't realized I needed.
Alice sat close beside me, her arms wrapped around her knees as she gazed at the view. She looked almost lost in thought, her golden eyes distant, reflecting something deeper than just the scenery.
I stole a glance at her, studying the soft contours of her face, the way the breeze played with her short hair. She looked so at peace here. So certain. Like she knew exactly where she belonged in this world.
And then there was me.
"You're quiet," she murmured, breaking the silence.
I huffed a quiet laugh. "You're the one who brought me all the way out here."
Alice smirked, tilting her head slightly. "And yet, you're still here. That's progress."
I opened my mouth to argue but stopped.
She wasn't wrong.
A week ago, I would've resisted. I would have thrown up walls, found an excuse to leave before things got too personal. But now?
Now, I wasn't sure I wanted to.
I exhaled, raking a hand through my hair. "It's… a lot to take in, you know?"
Alice hummed softly. "Yeah. I do."
She said it with quiet certainty, and for some reason, that made something in my chest tighten.
I had spent so long keeping myself at arm's length from this world, from its people, from everything that felt too real. Even after accepting that I had been reincarnated into this place, I had convinced myself I was only an observer—detached, unaffected.
But Alice had a way of pulling me in.
A way of making me feel like I wasn't just passing through.
Like I belonged.
I flexed my fingers absently, staring down at my hands. "It's weird," I admitted. "I spent so much time thinking I didn't fit here. That I wasn't supposed to. But when I'm with you... it doesn't feel so impossible."
Alice turned to me then, her golden eyes shining with something I couldn't name.
"You do belong here, Ash," she said softly. "You just have to let yourself see it."
Her voice was gentle but firm—like she wasn't just trying to convince me, but reminding me of something I should have known all along.
And the way she said it—so sure, so certain—made my chest ache.
Because for the first time, I wanted to believe her.
I had been searching for a reason, an explanation for why I felt this invisible pull toward Forks. Why, despite all my efforts to distance myself, I kept getting drawn in deeper.
Maybe this was it.
Maybe she was it.
I let out a slow breath, my gaze drifting back to the valley stretching below us. "Maybe," I murmured.
Alice didn't push.
She just smiled—small, knowing, patient.
And somehow, that was enough.
For now.
----
The drive back was quieter, but not uncomfortable.
I kept replaying Alice's words in my head.
"You do belong here. You just have to let yourself see it."
The idea of belonging—of being a part of this world instead of just existing within it—was terrifying. But for the first time, it wasn't impossible to consider.
Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as lost as I thought.
Maybe, with Alice... I could find my place.
Even if I didn't understand it yet.
Even if I wasn't ready.
I glanced at Alice as she drove, her eyes fixed on the road, a soft hum escaping her lips as she tapped her fingers lightly against the steering wheel.
I wasn't ready.
But I wanted to be.
And that was enough.
For now.
Alice must have sensed my silence wasn't discomfort because she didn't try to fill it with meaningless conversation. She just let it be, and for that, I was grateful.
I turned my head to watch the trees pass by, their towering forms casting long shadows across the road. The rain had stopped, but the sky remained a dull gray, the kind of overcast that felt almost comforting in its consistency.
Eventually, I broke the silence.
"You really think I belong here?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.
Alice didn't hesitate. "Yes."
I exhaled, my fingers twitching slightly against my leg. "Why?"
Alice's golden eyes flickered toward me briefly before returning to the road. "Because I see it. Even if you don't."
I frowned. "I don't get it."
Alice smirked. "Of course you don't."
I rolled my eyes, but there was no real irritation behind it. "You know, for someone who sees the future, you're frustratingly cryptic."
She laughed—a soft, musical sound that made my chest feel lighter. "And for someone who sees glimpses of the future, you're frustratingly stubborn."
I opened my mouth to argue but realized she wasn't wrong.
Instead, I sighed. "I just don't know if I can believe it yet."
Alice's expression softened. "That's okay. I can believe for both of us."
I didn't know how to respond to that, so I didn't.
But the words lingered.
The rest of the drive continued in that same quiet understanding.
-----
As we reached the edge of Forks, Alice glanced at me. "Where should I drop you off?"
I hesitated for a second before answering. "I'm renting an apartment near the edge of town. Just for now."
Alice's brows lifted slightly, as if she wasn't expecting that answer. "Alone?"
I smirked. "Yeah. Not really used to living with people."
She hummed as if considering something but didn't press the topic. Instead, she smoothly pulled up near my building, the headlights illuminating the quiet street. The soft glow from the streetlights reflected off the damp pavement, the rain still falling in a steady drizzle.
I reached for the door handle, but before I could open it, Alice's voice stopped me.
"Ash."
Something about the way she said my name made me pause. I turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
She smiled—playful, yet something deeper flickered behind her golden eyes. "Are you free this Saturday?"
I blinked. "Saturday?"
Alice nodded, watching me expectantly. "I was thinking… we should go on a date."
The words hit me harder than they should have.
A date. With Alice.
For a moment, I just stared at her, my mind catching up to what she had just said. Alice Cullen—bright, confident, absolutely impossible—was asking me out.
My first instinct was to deflect, to push away, like I had always done. But this time, I hesitated.
I lingered in Alice's car longer than I should have. The quiet hum of the engine had faded into silence, leaving only the soft patter of rain against the windshield. Outside, the streetlights flickered dimly, casting a faint glow over the empty road.
My apartment complex stood a few feet away, a simple, nondescript building that barely felt like home.
But for the first time since arriving in Forks, I didn't feel as out of place as before.
And it was because of her.
Alice had brought me to a place that made me feel something real. The conversation we had, the weight of her presence beside me—it had chipped away at the walls I had unknowingly built. I had spent so much time telling myself that I didn't belong in this world, that I was an outsider, an anomaly.
But Alice's words stayed with me.
"Whenever you do know… I'll be here."
It made me wonder.
Maybe I wasn't as alone as I thought. Maybe I wasn't unwanted in this world.
Maybe—just maybe—I could belong here.
The realization was terrifying.
And yet, as I sat beside Alice, stealing glances at her effortlessly composed expression, I didn't feel the urge to run anymore.
I exhaled slowly, shaking my head. "You don't waste time, do you?"
Alice grinned, unfazed. "Nope."
I huffed a quiet laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. "And if I say no?"
Her eyes twinkled with amusement. "Then I'll ask again."
I gave her a look, but she just smirked, entirely too confident.
I sighed, knowing I was already losing this battle. "Fine. Yeah. I'll go on a date with you."
Alice clapped her hands together in triumph. "Good. It's a date, then."
She looked so pleased with herself that I couldn't even be annoyed.
Instead, I found myself smiling—really smiling.
It had been a long time since I felt this way.
As I reached for the door handle again, Alice called out, "I'll pick you up at six."
I smirked, glancing over my shoulder. "What, you don't trust me to meet you somewhere?"
She grinned. "Nope."
I shook my head, stepping out into the rain.
The cold air bit at my skin, but I barely felt it.
Because for the first time since coming to this world…
I had something to look forward to
-----
(Alice's POV)
As Ash stepped out of the car and walked toward his apartment, I couldn't help but watch him for a moment longer.
He had smiled.
Not a guarded smirk, not a polite grin—a real smile.
And it was because of me.
I gripped the steering wheel, trying to suppress the giddy feeling bubbling inside me.
He said yes.
He said yes.
A date. A real date.
It wasn't just about spending time together. It was about him choosing this—choosing me.
He was still figuring things out, still hesitating, but that was okay.
Because I had seen the way he looked at me tonight.
He was falling.
Slowly.
But undeniably.
And I wasn't going to let him go.
---
End of Chapter 9
----