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Bella and Lita sat in the cozy cafe, their drinks long gone, and sandwich remnants scattered across the table. Lita had been unusually quiet, her thoughts seemingly swirling as she absentmindedly stirred her spoon through the remnants of her lukewarm coffee.

"Do you... like him?" Bella's question cut through the quiet ambiance, bringing Lita back to the present.

"Huh? Like who?" Lita's gaze shifted from her coffee to Bella.

"That guy in the store."

"Oh... yeah, I do. But I guess I'll have to get over him," Lita admitted with a sigh, a tinge of wistfulness in her voice.

Bella pondered for a moment before asking, "How'd you meet him?"

A spark returned to Lita's eyes as she recounted the moment Paul approached her at McDonald's, inviting her into his circle. Bella listened, a small smile playing on her lips.

"That's actually a pretty cute story," Bella remarked, her eyes holding a glint of amusement.

"Yeah, I thought so too. I guess I thought a lot of things. I thought he liked me back."

"Well, if he kissed you, he must like you."

"Maybe back then he did," Lita sighed, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "Who knows, maybe we can be friends," she added, shrugging off the uncertainty.

"Well, that's very mature of you," Bella teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Why, thank you," Lita replied in a slightly exaggerated posh voice before both girls burst into laughter, momentarily forgetting the complexities of the romantic entanglements.

As they left the cafe, their shopping bags might have been light, but their spirits were high, the shared laughter acting as a bridge between their growing friendship.

The front door swung open, revealing the inviting warmth of home. Laughter still echoed as Lita burst in, only to be greeted by an unexpected sight—a pale boy, she jumped and let out a small scream before stumbling back into Bella's reassuring embrace.

"Edward, what the hell!?" Bella exclaimed, her laughter blending with Lita's surprise.

"This is Edward?" Lita asked, eyeing the pale newcomer with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"Nice to meet you," Edward greeted, offering his hand, which Lita reluctantly shook, feeling an unexpected chill.

"Jesus, you're freezing!" Lita exclaimed, withdrawing her hand quickly. "Oh, not in a rude way," she clarified with a quick, disarming smile.

Bella chuckled, and Edward's lips curled into a polite smile. "Well, I better warm him up then," Bella said, a mischievous glint in her eyes, making Lita's eyes widen in mock horror.

"Um, too much detail—"

"Not like that!" Bella clarified, laughing.

"Mhm... sure," Lita said, casting a playful side-eye at Bella. "I'm gonna go shower. Don't get too warm, okay?" she quipped before making her way upstairs, leaving behind a lingering trail of laughter.

Once Lita had gotten out of the shower a message showed up from Jacob who had given her his phone number the other day asking her to hang out with the group again

Lita, feeling refreshed after her shower, decided to embrace her natural, curly hair for the day. Passing by Bella's room, she spotted the duo lounging on the bed. "Jacob's picking me up; I'll see you later," Lita announced with a smile, receiving a thumbs-up from Bella.

Waiting by the end of the driveway, she greeted Jacob's car with a grin as it pulled up. The window rolled down, revealing Jacob's bright smile. "Need a ride?"

Lita nodded, hopping into the back seat. Embry joined her, Quil took the front seat, and Seth settled into the car's boot. "Hey, Lita," Quil greeted, and she returned the smile.

"So, where are we going?" Lita inquired as she buckled her seatbelt.

"I don't know," Jacob replied with a shrug. "We just thought we'd show you around a bit."

"Okay," Lita responded warily, uncertain of what the adventure held. The trees blurred as they drove along the road, the forest displaying its vibrant array of nature.

The car in front of them was moving at a slower pace, and Jacob's annoyance became evident. "Oh my lord, can this old lady be any slower?" he grumbled.

"I got an idea, wind down the windows," Quil suggested.

"What?" Jacob questioned.

"Just do it, dumbass." Jacob complied, and a rush of wind swept into the car. Quil, seemingly engrossed in his phone, earned occasional glances from Jacob.

"Man, what are you—?" Jacob's words were drowned out by the sudden blast of music through the speakers. "Move Bitch" by Ludacris echoed, and Embry burst into laughter as Quil enthusiastically belted out the lyrics from the window. Jacob, on the other hand, looked embarrassed, attempting to shield his face.

Their impromptu performance garnered attention, leading to the car in front pulling over. The disgruntled driver flipped them off as they drove past, the group's laughter echoing in the air.

The group made a pit stop at the petrol station, and as Embry and Quil disappeared into the store for snacks, Seth found himself alone in the car. Lita casually leaned against the vehicle, observing Jacob as he swiped his card and began filling up the gas tank.

Breaking the silence, Lita decided to share a piece of information she had stumbled upon earlier that morning. "I didn't know Paul had a girlfriend."

Jacob paused, looking somewhat surprised. "Oh... right. Well, when he first met you, he didn't. But once we got back... I don't know, something just happened to him, and he started following Jade around all the time."

"Great..." Lita muttered under her breath, a sense of disappointment coloring her tone.

Curiosity sparked in Jacob's eyes. "Wait, how did you find out about that?"

"I sort of ran into them at the store with Bella this morning."

"Unlucky," Jacob remarked, offering her a sympathetic smile.

"Very." Lita said with a dry laugh "I just wish she wasn't so pretty." Lita said, running her hands up and down her arms in an attempt to comfort herself.

Before Jacob could respond, Embry and Quil emerged from the store, snacks in hand, their laughter echoing through the quiet night. "All good to go?" Quil asked, heading toward the car and opening the passenger side door.

Jacob nodded but couldn't hide the sadness in his smile. The car pulled away from the curb, and a heavy silence settled over the occupants. Seth, breaking the quiet, finally asked, "Okay, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Jacob replied with a nonchalant shrug, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Lita, gazing out the window at the rapidly passing trees, couldn't contain her thoughts. "Did Paul actually like me?" The question hung in the air, and the group exchanged awkward glances.

"Of course he did," Embry affirmed.

"Then why didn't he text or call me?" Lita pressed, her frustration evident.

"I...I don't know," Quil mumbled, looking down at his lap.

"And why'd he move on so fast? I don't get it," Lita added, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.

"Well... if we're being honest, you were never together, so—" Seth started, only to be silenced by a sharp glare from Embry.

"You're right. I guess I can't be angry," Lita admitted, a heavy sigh escaping her.

Awkward silence settled in, each occupant lost in their thoughts. Jacob, sensing the tension, attempted to break it. "Okay, why don't we go get some ice cream?" he suggested.

A murmur of agreements filled the air, but Lita merely nodded, not in the mood to engage further. The carpark of the ice cream parlor was bustling, filled with teens and young families. The group patiently waited in line, each placing their order as the anticipation for a sweet distraction hung in the air.