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Lita awoke the next morning with tired eyes. Her last night had been amazing but she couldn't help but let her sadness overtake the happy memories.

Embry, Jacob, Seth, Quil and herself had spent the remainder of the night talking. They spoke about their dismay about summer ending and how they wished she'd be joining her back at their school but Lita knew her trip back home was long overdue and no matter how hard they wished she'd find herself back in New York.

In a way she was glad, she couldn't wait to see Mateo's chubby cheeks and his dimpled smile and she knew her father and herself would have a lot to talk about.

Forks would cease to be nothing more than a memory and she was okay with that. She just hoped the people she met there wouldn't fade to one as well.

Lita got up out of bed to see the usual rain pattering against the windows, checking the time she had a few hours until she needed to be at the airport, luckily for her Bella had agreed to take her there leaving her with a few crumpled extra notes to take back home with her.

She had a shower, did her hair and makeup before heading back to her suitcase she first grabbed Mateo's teddybear that had been safetly kept next to her, she had often found her hugging it on the night's she missed Mateo the most, not that she'd ever tell him that.

She began to pack away her clothing and other items neatly. She then began tidying up her room making sure her mother would come home and go balistic if she had left it messy.

However, she made sure to hang up the dress her mother had 'bought' her in the closet. It wasn't a gift and nor was it something that held any good memories for Lita.

A knock on the door surprised Lita, Bella wouldn't be here by now. There was still a couple hours until she needed to be at the airport.

Hurrying down the stairs Lita opened the front door to the sight of Jade, Kim, and Bailey standing on her porch, all a little damp from the rain. Their hair was frizzy at the edges, and drops of water clung to their jackets. Despite the weather, they wore bright smiles.

"Hey!" Kim grinned, stepping forward as if she couldn't wait to hug her. "Surprise!"

Lita blinked, a little caught off guard but smiling all the same. "Hey, guys. You're soaked—come inside."

As they filed in, shaking the rain off their jackets, Lita noticed the familiar coziness of the house — the faint smell of her mother's perfume lingering in the air, the hum of the rain against the windows. It wasn't home, but it had its moments.

Kim immediately made herself at home, dropping onto the living room couch with a sigh of relief. "I swear it's been raining all week. Forks never gives us a break, huh?"

Lita chuckled, closing the door behind them. "Yeah, well, it's kind of its thing."

Jade nudged Bailey with a grin. "And yet we still live here. What does that say about us?"

Bailey shrugged, a soft smile on her lips as she stood near the window, watching the rain trickle down the glass. "If I had a choice I'd be living in Port Angeles not here."

Lita moved into the kitchen, already reaching for the kettle. "Hot chocolate, anyone? I could use some warmth."

"Yes, please!" Kim called out immediately.

As Lita busied herself, the girls chatted idly about the summer, complaining about how quickly it was ending and tossing in little remarks about the upcoming school year. Lita listened, but her mind was on the fact that this was one of her last moments in this house. Forks had been strange, frustrating, even comforting in some ways. And while she hadn't been super close to Jade, Kim, or Bailey, they were still part of the experience.

When the hot chocolate was ready, Lita brought the mugs over to the living room and settled in beside the girls, each of them cradling their drinks in their hands.

"So," Jade began, glancing at Lita with a faint smile. "You're really leaving today, huh?"

Lita nodded, sipping her drink. "Yeah. My mom thinks it's time for me to go back. I've stayed long enough."

Kim looked over, her voice softer as usual. "How do you feel about it?"

Lita shrugged, leaning back into the couch. "Honestly? I don't know. I miss home, but... Forks has kind of grown on me. I've got a lot of memories here now. Good and bad."

Bailey smiled faintly. "Well, at least you'll be going back with some good ones. Right?"

Lita nodded, her lips twitching into a small smile. "Yeah. I'll miss certain things. Like the way it rains so much, you get used to it... And the people, too."

Kim grinned, nudging her playfully. "See? We aren't that bad after all."

Lita laughed softly, shaking her head. "You guys are alright."

They sat there for a few more minutes, sipping their hot chocolate in comfortable silence. The rain pattered lightly against the window, a constant, soothing backdrop to the moment. Lita felt a quiet kind of peace settle over her. It was strange—she hadn't expected to feel this way about leaving.

Finally, Jade stood up and stretched. "We should probably let you finish packing, huh? Bella's gonna be here any minute."

Lita glanced at the clock and sighed. Time had flown by faster than she realized. "Yeah, I guess so."

She got up, setting her mug down on the coffee table before heading to her room. The girls trailed after her as she grabbed her duffle bag, which had been waiting in the corner, packed and ready to go.

As she zipped it up, she heard Kim sniffle lightly behind her. "Okay, no one's allowed to get emotional, or I'll cry."

Lita turned around, rolling her eyes playfully. "Come on, Kim. It's not like I'm leaving forever."

Kim wiped at her eyes dramatically. "I know, but it's sad, okay? We didn't even hang out that much, and now it's too late."

Jade and Bailey chuckled, but there was a shared understanding in the room. Saying goodbye, no matter how deep the connection, always felt bittersweet.

Lita slung her bag over her shoulder, walking back toward the living room with the girls behind her. She opened the front door, letting in the cool air and the smell of rain. Outside, the sky was a dull gray, the kind of weather that felt like it had no end.

"I guess this is it," Lita said, stepping out onto the porch. The girls followed, standing under the small awning to avoid the drizzle.

Jade pulled her into a quick hug, her voice soft. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

Lita nodded, hugging her back. "You too."

Bailey hugged her next, offering a small, genuine smile. "Good luck in New York. Don't forget about us."

"I won't," Lita promised, though she knew it was possible that things would fade with time.

Kim was last, pulling Lita in with a tight squeeze. "If you ever come back, you better hang out with us more, okay?"

Lita laughed, pulling away and nodding. "Deal."

Bella's truck pulled up to the curb, the engine rumbling softly over the sound of rain. Lita glanced at it, then back at the girls.

"Well... I guess I'll see you all around," she said, feeling the weight of the moment settle on her chest.

They gave her one last round of smiles and waves, and Lita stepped down from the porch, her boots splashing slightly in the puddles forming on the walkway. She threw her bag into the back of Bella's truck and climbed into the passenger seat.

Bella looked over with a small smile. "Ready?"

Lita glanced back at the porch, where Jade, Kim, and Bailey still stood, watching her go. She raised a hand in one final wave, and they waved back.

"Yeah," she said, turning to face the road ahead. "I'm ready."

As Bella drove away, the rain continued to fall, blurring the edges of the world behind them. Forks, for all its strangeness, would always be a part of her now. But she was ready for whatever came next.

As Bella's truck rumbled down the rainy streets of Forks, the misty landscape blurred into the distance. Lita sat quietly in the passenger seat. The rhythmic patter of rain on the windshield was almost hypnotic, and for a moment, she just stared out, watching the droplets race down the glass.

She felt a tightening in her chest, the realization of leaving slowly sinking in.

Bella glanced over at her, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she navigated the slick roads. Her expression was soft, knowing. "You okay?" she asked, her voice breaking the silence.

Lita swallowed, nodding but not looking over just yet. "Yeah... Just feels weird, you know? Leaving."

Bella gave a small smile, understanding. "Yeah. Forks kind of does that to you. It sneaks up on you when you least expect it."

Lita finally looked at her, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over her. She hadn't exactly imagined this summer going the way it had. When her mom had invited her out here, she'd been annoyed, frustrated even. Forks was supposed to be nothing more than a pit stop in her life. A place to come and go. But it had become more. Not home, but... something close.

"I didn't think I'd miss it as much as I do," Lita admitted, her voice quieter now.

Bella's smile widened slightly, though it was tinged with a bit of sadness. "I get it. Forks has a way of growing on you, even when you think you won't let it. There's something about the rain, the quiet... and the people, too."

Lita nodded, biting her lip as she looked out the window again. The woods that lined the highway seemed endless, dark green and alive even in the gray gloom of the day. She had always thought it was too much—too wet, too remote—but now there was something almost comforting about it.

Bella's eyes flickered back to the road, then to Lita. "I know you probably didn't expect to stay this long. But... I've really liked having you around."

Lita glanced over, surprised by the earnest tone in Bella's voice. Bella had always been quiet, a little hard to read. She wasn't one for big displays of emotion. Hearing her say that felt... real.

"I appreciate that," Lita said softly. "I know I wasn't the easiest person to be around sometimes."

Bella chuckled, shaking her head. "You fit in just fine. We've all got our stuff. Besides, it's been kind of nice. I mean, having someone else around who understands... you know, the whole complicated family thing."

Lita let out a soft laugh at that. Complicated didn't even begin to cover it. Both of them had been dropped into circumstances beyond their control, forced to navigate strange dynamics with family and friends.It was comforting knowing Bella had her own set of challenges, even if neither of them talked about it too much.

"You were good to me," Lita said after a moment. "You didn't have to be, but you were. Thanks for that."

Lita could feel the emotion creeping back in, heavier now. She was really leaving. She wouldn't see this place for a while, maybe not ever again in the same way. And the people... Jacob, Embry, Seth and Quil. The weight of saying goodbye to them had already weighed on her, but now it was becoming real.

Bella must have sensed the shift, because her voice softened again. "You'll visit, right? It doesn't have to be goodbye forever."

Lita blinked, suddenly feeling a lump in her throat. She hadn't thought much about coming back. Maybe because she knew it would be hard to leave again. But hearing Bella say it like that, she couldn't help but think about how Forks had become more than just a place to her. It had become... a chapter in her life. One she wasn't ready to fully close.

"I'll visit," Lita said quietly, her voice a little strained. "I promise."

The truck fell silent again as they approached the airport, the building coming into view through the haze of rain. The reality of it hit her like a wave—this was it. Her final few minutes with Bella.

Bella pulled into the drop-off zone, the truck coming to a slow stop under the awning. The sound of the windshield wipers slowed as Bella shut off the engine, and for a moment, neither of them moved.

Lita exhaled slowly, glancing down at her hands,the bracelet she had been given fit snugly on her wrist. She wasn't sure what to say, or if there was anything more to say. It all felt too heavy, too final.

Bella turned to her, her face full of quiet understanding. "You're going to be okay, Lita. I know New York is... big, and messy, and complicated. But you're stronger than you think. And you've got people who care about you—there and here."

Lita could feel the tears stinging her eyes before she could stop them. She blinked rapidly, trying to fight them back, but it was no use. The weight of everything—leaving, the friendships, the goodbyes—hit her all at once.

"I didn't think I'd get this emotional," she said with a watery laugh, wiping at her eyes quickly. "God, this is so embarrassing."

Bella smiled softly, shaking her head. "It's really not, trust me I'll probably cry a few times on the way home."

Lita swallowed hard, her throat tight. She leaned over and hugged Bella, a quick but meaningful gesture. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "For everything."

Bella hugged her back, her voice equally soft. "You don't have to thank me. You're part of my life nowt."

Lita pulled back, offering a small, tearful smile as she opened the passenger door. The cool air hit her face immediately, and she welcomed the brief distraction from her emotions. She grabbed her bag, hoisting it onto her shoulder, and stepped out into the drizzle.

Standing there on the curb, with the rain lightly falling around her, she took one last look at Bella. "I'll keep in touch," she promised, her voice steady now.

Bella nodded, leaning out the window. "I'll hold you to that."

Lita gave her a small wave, then turned toward the airport entrance, her heart heavy but her steps steady. As she walked away, the rain muffled the sounds of the world, leaving her with only the soft rhythm of her footsteps and the hum of the airport in the distance.

She didn't look back. Not because she didn't want to, but because she knew if she did, it would make leaving that much harder. And right now, she needed to keep moving forward.

Forks had changed her. In ways she hadn't expected, in ways she wouldn't fully understand until later. But for now, she knew one thing—she would carry this place with her, wherever she went.

And maybe, just maybe, she would find her way back again someday.