Bella sat nervously in the booth of the small diner, her fingers fiddling with the straw of her milkshake. Forks was supposed to be quiet, uneventful—a place where nothing extraordinary happened. Yet here she was, on a date, and her heart raced like she’d just sprinted through the rain-soaked woods outside town.

Her date sat across from her, laughing softly at Bella’s awkward attempt to make conversation about the overcast weather. The sound was warm, easy, and Bella couldn’t help but smile despite herself.

“So,” her date said, resting her chin on her hand, “is Forks living up to your expectations?”

Bella shrugged, looking down at her milkshake. “It’s… different. But not in a bad way.” She glanced up, meeting her date’s eyes. “I didn’t think I’d make a friend this fast. Or, you know, go on a date.”

“Well,” her date teased, “you’re lucky I like the quiet types.”

Bella laughed, the sound surprising even herself. For the first time since moving to Forks, she felt like she belonged.

The waitress brought their check, but neither of them made a move to leave. The night felt too perfect to end just yet, and Bella wasn’t ready to let it go.