The morning sunlight in Forks was a rare kind of miracle — soft, golden, and hesitant, like it wasn't sure if it belonged there.
Amara sat outside on one of the benches in the courtyard, face tilted up toward that fragile warmth. The faint chill of the air brushed her cheeks, but she didn't mind. After all the rain, even this shy sun felt like a blessing.
Jessica and Angela were sitting nearby, sipping sodas and chatting about homework and prom, their laughter mixing with the distant hum of students. Amara listened with half an ear, occasionally dropping in a sarcastic comment that made them laugh harder.
It was peaceful — until she noticed Bella.
Her dear cousin sat beside her, not really part of the world around her. Her eyes kept darting around, scanning the campus like she was waiting for someone.
Amara watched for a moment, amused. Then she leaned closer, waited for perfect timing—
and shouted softly right next to Bella's ear, "BOO!"
Bella jolted so violently she almost fell off the bench.
Jessica and Angela gasped, then dissolved into laughter.
"Amara!" Jessica half-shrieked between giggles. "You nearly gave me a heart attack too!"
Angela clutched her stomach, laughing until tears welled up. "Poor Bella! You looked like you saw a ghost!"
Bella glared, one hand over her chest. "What is wrong with you?!"
Amara blinked innocently, lips twitching. "Just making sure you were still among the living. You were staring into space for ten minutes, and I started worrying."
Jessica snorted. "You really were, Bella. Totally zoned out."
"I wasn't zoning out," Bella muttered, adjusting her jacket, eyes flicking toward the empty parking lot again.
Angela smiled kindly. "You seem distracted. Rough night?"
Bella hesitated, then shook her head. "No, just... thinking."
Amara smiled sweetly. "Ah, yes. Thinking. The most dangerous thing you do."
Jessica and Angela burst out laughing again, and even Bella had to fight the ghost of a smile.
For a while, the girls just sat there, basking in the rare warmth. Forks looked almost cheerful — trees glittering faintly from melted dew, the sky pale blue with streaks of white.
Jessica sighed. "Days like this make school feel bearable."
"Barely," Amara added dryly, and they all chuckled.
Bella smiled faintly but her eyes wandered again.
Jessica leaned in, smirking. "By the way, Bella... you can stop searching. The Cullens didn't come to school today."
Bella's head snapped toward her. "I wasn't searching for them!" she protested immediately, too quick to be convincing.
"Uh-huh," Jessica drawled. "Right. You just happen to be scanning every hallway and window like a secret agent."
Angela said softly, "Dr. Cullen took his family hiking, I heard. They always go out when the weather's good."
Amara smiled to herself. (Hiking, huh? Sure. Probably indoors, under very, very heavy shade.)
Out loud, she said, "That actually sounds kind of nice. Maybe we should do something outdoorsy too."
Jessica groaned dramatically. "Please, no. My parents would ground me if I skipped school for fun."
Angela giggled. "Same. They'd send a search party."
Amara shrugged lightly. "Then we'll do something less rebellious. Like a picnic. Or shopping. Shopping sounds much safer."
Jessica's eyes brightened. "Oh! Speaking of that—Amara, Angela and I are going prom dress shopping this weekend in Port Angeles. You have to come!"
Angela nodded eagerly. "There's this new boutique there. The dresses are gorgeous."
Amara thought for a second, lips curving in a slow smile. "Hmm… sunlight, pretty dresses, and a reason to escape this gloomy town? Yeah, count me in."
Jessica squealed. "Perfect! It'll be fun!"
Bella, quiet until now, looked up. "Port Angeles? When are you going?"
Jessica blinked, surprised. "Uh, Saturday afternoon. You wanna come?"
Bella nodded quickly. "Yeah, I was planning to go there anyway. I need to visit a bookstore."
Amara just smiled knowingly, resting her chin in her hand. (Of course you do. The universe just can't let you stay out of trouble, can it?)
Jessica and Angela started discussing dress colors — Jessica wanted something lavender and sparkly, Angela leaned toward floral pastel.
Amara joined in, teasing them gently and offering surprisingly sharp fashion opinions. "Lavender's pretty, but you'll need a bold lip to balance it," she told Jessica, earning a delighted squeal. "And Angela, soft green would make your eyes look stunning."
Angela blushed, grinning. "You really know this stuff."
"I dabble," Amara said airily, sipping from her water bottle like a seasoned stylist.
The bell eventually rang, cutting through the sunshine. They groaned, gathering their things.
As they walked back inside, Bella lingered a little behind, still lost in thought. Amara caught her expression and sighed fondly.
(Curious, restless, distracted. Yep — classic Bella. A storm is definitely coming.)
---
By the time the day ended, Forks was wrapped in soft afternoon gold. The clouds had returned at the edges of the sky, but the light still lingered — warm, gentle, tired.
Amara walked toward her car, tossing her bag into the passenger seat. A familiar engine growled behind her as Bella's truck pulled up.
"Like clockwork," Amara murmured, smiling.
They drove home in quiet rhythm — sunlight flickering through trees, soft music playing in Amara's car, Bella's truck tailing faithfully behind.
Her thoughts wandered.
(Should I go to Port Angeles? I mean, I know how that ends. Creeps, chaos, a dramatic rescue… But if I don't go, what if something worse happens? Ugh, fine. Guess we're signing up for fate's drama club again.)
When they reached home, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and something buttery wafted through the air, wrapping around them like a lazy hug. The golden kitchen light flickered gently against the windows as Charlie leaned against the counter, holding his favorite mug that said World's Okayest Dad.
"Hey, girls," he greeted, voice easy and warm. "How was school?"
Amara grinned, kicking off her shoes. "Sunny. I almost forgot we lived in Forks."
Charlie snorted. "Don't get used to it. That was probably the sun's annual visit."
Bella dropped her bag by the table and slumped into a chair. "It was… fine," she muttered.
Charlie raised an eyebrow over his mug. "Didn't sound like fine. Sounded like teenage trouble."
Amara opened the fridge with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Her favorite classmate didn't show up today."
Bella's head snapped up. "Amara!"
Charlie looked immediately interested. "Oh? And who's that?"
"Dr. Cullen's son," Amara said innocently, reaching for the juice.
Bella's face went from pale to crimson faster than a sunset. "No! That's not— I mean— he's just— Amara!"
Amara pretended to look thoughtful. "Hmm, right. Just the one you stared at during lunch like he might vanish into thin air."
Charlie nearly choked on his coffee trying not to laugh. "You stared at a biy? I thought you were too cool for boys."
Bella groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Can we not?"
Amara leaned her hip against the counter, sipping juice like it was the most entertaining movie she'd ever watched. "Can we, Charlie?"
Charlie chuckled. "I mean… it's kind of tradition. Dinner and light teasing."
Bella shot him a betrayed look. "You're supposed to be the adult."
"I am the adult," Charlie said, unbothered. "That's why I get to enjoy this."
Amara broke into laughter, her shoulders shaking. "Charlie, you're evil."
"Runs in the family," Charlie said dryly.
Bella huffed and stood, trying to steal the juice carton from Amara's hand. "Give me that."
Amara held it high above her head. "Say please."
Bella scowled. "I'll throw your mascara in the toilet."
Amara gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Oh, I would," Bella said with mock menace, lunging for the carton. Charlie nearly spilled his coffee laughing as Amara danced around the table, holding the juice hostage like a mischievous fairy.
Finally, Bella grabbed it, triumphant. "Ha!"
Amara pointed dramatically. "Enjoy your victory, villain."
Charlie shook his head, grinning. "You two are something else."
"Correction," Amara said, flipping her hair. "We're entertainment."
Bella rolled her eyes but the corner of her mouth twitched upward. "You're impossible."
Amara leaned against the counter, smiling softly. "You love us."
Bella sighed, but the blush on her cheeks gave her away. "Debatable."
"See?" Charlie said, reaching for another sip. "That's love talk in Swan language."
They all laughed — real, warm laughter that filled every inch of the little kitchen. Outside, rain began to tap gently against the windows again, like it was applauding the moment. The world dimmed into silver-gray and gold, and the hum of the refrigerator blended with the soft murmur of their voices.
Inside, it smelled like coffee, home, and the kind of comfort that didn't need to be spoken.
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