The bell above the door of the corner store gave its usual tired little jingle as someone stepped inside.

Fez barely looked up at first.

He was leaned back behind the counter, one hand drumming lazily against the register while the other held a bag of chips half-open in his lap. The TV mounted in the corner played some late-night rerun.

Ashtray sat cross-legged on the floor nearby, sorting through candy boxes with intense concentration that probably meant he was about to steal half of them.

Rue was talking. A lot.

“…and I’m just saying, if aliens are real, they definitely wouldn’t come here first. Like imagine traveling across galaxies just to end up in East Highland.”

Jules laughed from beside her, flipping through a rack of cheap sunglasses. “Maybe they’d think it’s ironic.”

“Nah,” Rue said. “They’d take one look at Nate Jacobs and leave.”

That got a small snort out of Fez.

Then the bell rang.

And the whole mood in the store shifted quiet.

You walked in alone.

Oversized dark hoodie. Loose jeans. Beat-up sneakers.

Your hood was up despite the warm weather outside, hair falling forward enough to shadow most of her face. You moved carefully, like you didn’t wanna take up too much space. Didn’t look around much either. Just headed straight for the drink cooler in the back.

Rue lowered her voice automatically. “That’s the new girl, right?”

Jules glanced over subtly. “I think so.”

Fez watched you through the reflection on the cooler doors.

You looked exhausted.

Not sleepy exhausted—worn down exhausted.

Like life had been chewing on you for a while already.

You grabbed an energy drink, hesitated for a second like you were mentally calculating the price.

“Hey,” Fez said simply.

Your eyes flicked up for half a second.

Pretty.

That was the first thing that hit him.

Not in the loud East Highland kind of way. No heavy makeup. Just… pretty in a quiet, sad kinda way.

Big eyes hidden behind strands of hair. Soft expression. The kind of face that looked like it smiled less than it should.

“Hi,” you said softly.

Voice barely above a mumble.

You set the drink on the counter and dug into the pocket of her hoodie for crumpled cash.

Fez noticed the faint bruise near your wrist when your sleeve shifted up slightly.

His eyes lingered for maybe half a second too long before he looked away.

“You just move here?” he asked casually while ringing up the drink.

You nodded once. “Couple weeks ago.”

“You like it so far?”

A tiny shrug.

“It’s okay.”

The answer sounded automatic. Practiced.

Rue and Jules exchanged a glance behind you.

Fez handed back your change slowly. “You go to East Highland?”

Another nod.

“Haven’t seen you around.”

“I keep to myself mostly.”

There it was again—that carefulness.

Like every word had to pass inspection before you let it leave your mouth.

Ashtray looked up from the floor suddenly. “You look like you listen to sad music.”

Rue choked on her drink. “Ash!”

“What?” he said defensively. “She do.”

For the first time, you smiled.

Small. Quick. Gone almost immediately.

But Fez caught it.

And damn.

It changed your whole face.

“Sometimes,” you admitted quietly.

Ashtray pointed at you like he’d proven a scientific theory. “Knew it.”

Another tiny smile tugged at your mouth before you quickly looked back down again, almost like you regretted letting it happen.

Fez found himself watching you harder than he meant to.

The oversized hoodie sleeves swallowed your hands. Your shoulders stayed slightly hunched inward. Like you were trying to disappear inside yourself.

People who had it easy didn’t move like that.

“You need a bag?” he asked.

You shook your head. “I’m okay.”

For a second neither of you said anything.

Then—

“Well…see you around, I guess,” Fez said.

Your fingers tightened slightly around the drink can.

“Yeah,” you said softly. “Maybe.”

The bell jingled again as you disappeared into the dark parking lot outside.

Rue watched through the window. “She seems sad.”

Fez stared toward the door a second longer than he should’ve.