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Lita sank into the plush seat of her mother's car, enveloped in a suffocating silence. The sudden creak of the car's trunk opening startled her, and she turned to see her mother emerging, an air of tension lingering around her. As her mother settled into the driver's seat, an oppressive silence descended upon them.

A heavy sigh broke the quiet, and her mother uttered, "I bought the dress."

Lita couldn't suppress a scoff, her gaze fixated on the passing scenery beyond the window. The anger within her bubbled, an emotional storm raging within. Yet, beneath the anger, a current of hurt flowed. Her mother's words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the growing chasm between them.

"Lita, estás siendo egoísta," her mother chided, surprising Lita that her mother even bothered to remember Spanish. A sharp finger was pointed accusingly. "Don't try to make my wedding about yourself. We have years to quarrel, and I won't let you ruin my special day."

Lita's jaw tightened, caught between the tempest of anger and the sting of her mother's accusation. The conflicting emotions whirled within her, a turbulent sea of resentment, hurt, and a flicker of longing for understanding. The weight of unspoken words pressed down on her, the car's interior becoming a battleground for emotions left unaddressed.

The passing landscape blurred, mirroring the blurry lines of their fractured relationship. Lita struggled to reconcile the image of the woman beside her with the distant mother she used to know. The biting words hung in the air, settling into the wounds of an already wounded connection.

As they pulled into the driveway, Lita's mother hurriedly stormed out of the car, the rain pouring heavily as she pulled her dress out of the car's boot.

Silent tears poured down Lita's face as she sat in the car unmoving. A sudden knock on the car window startled her; Bella's face appeared, waving at Lita, who quickly wiped her tears away, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Bella got into the driver's seat, giving Lita a sad smile. "...are you okay?"

Lita laughed slightly. "No."

Bella pulled Lita into a hug, and she could tell she didn't give out hugs very often because of how stiff she was, but nevertheless, Lita appreciated it, whispering a soft thanks.

"So...what happened? Did Jacob do something?" Bella asked, her concern obvious.

"No, no, Jacob's lovely... It was me and Mom. We just had a fight," Lita said, greatly oversimplifying the events that had occurred "we should probably..."

"Oh yeah- right sorry. Let's head inside" Bella said

The day had faded away and the night consumed their house in darkness. The lounge was empty leaving Lita to assume her mother and Charlie had gone to sleep.

Lita attempted to climb the stairs, but Bella's interruption made her pause. "Hey, um, do you maybe wanna watch a movie together?"

"Oh yeah, sure," Lita replied, retracing her steps down the few stairs she had just ascended.

Bella guided Lita into the lounge, where a vast collection of DVDs awaited. "Any preferences?"

"Maybe a comedy?" Lita suggested, aiming to inject a bit of lightness into the heavy atmosphere.

After some contemplation, Bella settled on "My Girl." However, it quickly became apparent that Bella had forgotten how the movie ended. By the time the credits rolled, Lita and Bella found themselves reaching for a box of tissues, wiping away tears instead of sharing laughs.

"Okay... that wasn't funny," Bella remarked, wiping away tears below her eyes, while Lita giggled lightly.

Bella smiled, relieved to witness Lita's mood lifting. "I'm glad you're okay. You know, I'm actually excited for you to be my stepsister."

Lita looked down towards the ground, a smile playing on her lips. "Me too. Maybe I'll gain one good thing from their marriage," she quipped, eliciting a laugh from Bella.

Checking the time, they realized it was well past midnight. "We should probably go to bed," Lita sighed, more than ready to call it a night.

"Hey, I don't know if you're doing anything tomorrow, but would you wanna grab breakfast with me and go to Port Angeles? I'm not really into shopping, but you might be. Maybe we could hang out for the day."

Lita's smile widened. "Yeah... I'd like that."

"Cool... see you in the morning?" Bella asked, her enthusiasm infectious.

Lita nodded before rising, making her way to her bedroom. The prospect of a new day with a potential friend in Bella brought a glimmer of anticipation to Lita's thoughts.

The next morning, Lita greeted the day with a radiant smile, eager to dive into her morning routine. Skincare, a refreshing shower, and the meticulous process of straightening her hair preceded a fashion crisis that consumed a solid half-hour as she pondered over the perfect outfit. Emerging from her room, a bubbling excitement for the day ahead accompanied her.

Descending the stairs, Lita's enthusiasm took a momentary dip as she spotted her mother and Charlie engrossed in a hushed conversation at the table. The subject eluded Lita, leaving her with a curious itch to eavesdrop.

"Oh, Lita, Bella mentioned you're going to Port Angeles with her," her mother chimed in, diverting Lita's attention.

"Yup," Lita replied, making her way toward the lounge.

"Lita, are you seriously going to wear that?" Her mother's scrutinizing gaze fell upon Lita's outfit.

"What's wrong with it?" Lita retorted, crossing her arms defensively.

"It's a bit much, don't you think?" her mother remarked, seeking validation from Charlie, who merely shook his head, opting to stay neutral.

With a resigned sigh, Lita's mother added, "Why don't you dress more like Bella?" Miraculously, as if summoned by her name, Bella appeared, breaking the tension.

"Hi," she greeted awkwardly. "You ready to go?" Bella directed the question to Lita, who briskly nodded, eager to escape the scrutinizing atmosphere. The duo hastily made their way to Bella's car.

As they cruised down to Port Angeles, Lita unabashedly belted out the lyrics to "American Boy," much to Bella's discomfort, who shot her occasional perplexed glances. The car ride turned into an impromptu karaoke session, with Lita blissfully ignoring the silent pleas from her co-passenger.

Bella looked relieved as she pulled into the nearest clothing store, finally silencing Lita's loud singing. Walking together through the store, the girls scanned the aisles, bursting into laughter when they found some oddly shaped clothing.

"Y'know, I think I could pull it off," Lita declared, holding up an ugly sweater to her chest.

"I don't find that hard to believe," Bella responded, shaking her head with a laugh. The two shared a playful moment, exchanging comments about the peculiar fashion choices they discovered.

As they continued their exploration of the store, Bella picked out a vibrant hat with a large faux flower on it and insisted that Lita try it on. Lita, always up for a bit of fun, obliged, placing the hat on her head. They both burst into laughter at the sight of Lita in the flamboyant hat, drawing some curious glances from other shoppers.

Bella snapped a quick photo of Lita, promising not to share it anywhere, but the laughter lingered as they moved to another section of the store. The two continued to bond over shared jokes and interests, their friendship growing stronger with each passing moment.

Bella, with mischief in her eyes, picked out a particularly outrageous one and handed it to Lita. The girls couldn't contain their laughter as Lita placed the hat on her head, its absurdity reaching new heights.

However, the joyous atmosphere took an unexpected turn when, out of nowhere, Paul appeared in the store. Lita, startled by his sudden presence, quickly snatched the hat off her head and tossed it aside.

Her eyes widened as Paul came into view at the store's entrance, a mix of surprise and embarrassment etching across her face. The unexpected encounter left Lita momentarily speechless, her heart racing with newfound intensity.

Avoiding his gaze, Lita noticed Bella turning around, unaware of the situation that had Lita so embarrassed. Bella's eyes widened in realization, and she quickly moved out of the way as Paul approached. "Lita?" he asked, his voice deep.

Lita scanned over the boy, noting the changes in him. When their gazes met, his smile sort of faltered. "Uhm... yup, hi," she said awkwardly.

"Lita, it's so good to—" Before Paul could say another word, a girl came up behind him. "Come on, babe, let's leave this place; it's shit. Oh, who's this?" The girl was undeniably pretty, driving a pang of jealousy within Lita.

"Oh, this is an old... friend," Paul said, giving the girl a smile.

The girl stuck out her hand towards Lita with a gorgeous smile. "I'm Jade, nice to meet you, Lita! I love your hair." Jealousy burned within Lita, and on instinct, her fingers brushed the tips of her hair. "Oh, thanks," she said, shaking Jade's hand with a forced smile.

"Uh, Bella and I will leave you two... uhm, bye," Lita said hastily, walking over towards Bella, taking her hand, and rushing out of the store.

In the car, Bella, seeming quite confused, asked, "What was that about?" Lita's sad look told her everything. "Oh," Bella spoke, her voice almost a whisper.

"Let's just go get lunch," Lita said, her expression void of any emotion.