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FORKS, WASHINGTON
Forks lay beneath a dull sky, the air thick with that constant scent of damp earth and pine. The cold slipped softly through the streets, rustling the tree branches as a young man walked steadily down the sidewalk.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, with an athlete's build, and blond hair barely peeking out from under the hood of his sweatshirt. Dark sunglasses hid his eyes, though his sharp features didn't go unnoticed. Every now and then, a few female glances would flicker his way, stifled giggles following as they walked off with their friends, but he didn't seem to pay them any mind.
His gait was cautious, almost feline, yet confident. From time to time, he paused to scan his surroundings, taking in each entrance, each exit, every person walking down Forks' damp streets.
Finally, he arrived at a small café with fogged-up windows. He gently pushed the door open, the bell announcing his entrance as the smell of fresh coffee filled his senses. His eyes swept the place precisely before he took a seat on a stool by the counter, leaving his sunglasses on.
The waitress, an older woman with weathered hands and a kind air, approached with a tired smile.
"What can I get you, honey?" she asked.
"Coffee's fine," he replied, his calm voice vibrating in a low tone as he settled into the seat.
She poured him a steaming cup before stepping away to tend to other customers scattered around the tables. The young man held the cup in one hand but didn't drink, gently swirling the liquid while his eyes, hidden behind the glasses, followed every movement in the café.
When the waitress came back to leave some napkins, he tried to spark casual conversation with a simple question about the town, but though she was polite, she only offered brief replies before moving on to take another order.
He suppressed a hint of annoyance, his lips tightening as he set the cup back on its saucer without tasting it, about to stand and leave.
At that moment, the bell over the door chimed again.
A group of teenagers walked in, laughter and playful elbow nudges following them as the cold air from outside trailed behind. There were four of them: two girls and two boys. One, a young man with Asian features and a calm expression, walked beside a girl with a warm smile and her hair tied back in a ponytail. The other two were the perfect image of typical high school teens: the boy, athletic and wearing a local team's t-shirt; the girl, in a colorful jacket with perfectly styled hair, looked like a cheerleader straight out of a yearbook.
The cheerleader and the athlete were quietly arguing as they approached an empty table.
"I don't get why you never want it to be just the two of us, Mike," the girl whispered, her voice barely audible to anyone in the café.
Anyone except him.
The young man at the counter lifted an eyebrow slightly at the words, his sharpened hearing catching every nuance of the whisper as his eyes followed the scene without moving.
Mike, the athlete, let out a sigh heavy with frustration before trying to strike up a conversation with the Asian boy, who greeted him with a peaceful smile as they all settled around the table.
The girl, visibly annoyed, crossed her arms as her gaze drifted around the café with feigned disinterest until it landed on the figure of the young man sitting at the counter.
The eye contact was instant.
He offered her a subtle smile, just a faint pull at the corners of his lips, loaded with a calculated calm that felt almost like an invitation.
The girl blinked, surprised, glancing away as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She pretended to listen to her friends for a moment before saying, in a casual, forced tone,
"I'm going to get something at the counter."
She stood, ignoring Mike's curious glance, and walked over to where the blond young man sat, her steps a mix of hesitation and curiosity.
When she reached the counter, she placed both forearms on the surface, pretending to scan the menu hanging on the wall while waiting for the waitress to be free. Every so often, though, she would sneak a glance at the blond young man sitting a few seats away, trying to mask her interest with a curious blink.
It didn't take him long to notice, and he wasn't about to let the opportunity slip by.
"It's busier than usual in here today, don't you think?" he commented in a calm voice, pitched just low enough that only she could hear him over the café's gentle hum.
The girl jumped slightly before looking at him with a quick smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Oh, yeah… it happens sometimes, even in small towns like Forks," she replied lightly, though the spark in her eyes made it clear she enjoyed the attention.
He tilted his head slightly, letting a soft smile form on his lips. His dark glasses hid his gaze, but the way he kept watching her was obvious.
She hesitated before dropping a casual remark,
"You're not from around here, are you? You don't look familiar…"
The young man shrugged naturally, his smile widening just a bit.
"No, I'm from another city. I came to visit some relatives, but I stopped for coffee first."
"Relatives in Forks?" she asked, genuinely intrigued. She took a quick glance back at her table, making sure her friends weren't looking, before leaning a bit closer over the counter. "Who? Maybe I know them."
He paused for a moment, watching her calmly before answering simply,
"The Cullens."
The girl's eyes lit up immediately, a smile slipping out before she could stop it.
"I knew you had an Edward vibe!" she exclaimed with excitement, blushing quickly as she looked down with a shy smile. "Well, I mean… it doesn't really make sense because… You know, they're adopted."
His smile remained in place, not bothering to correct her as he leaned in closer.
"You have a pretty smile," he remarked softly.
Her blush deepened, her gaze dropping further as she played with the edge of the counter, clearly pleased by the compliment. She didn't notice the flash of impatience on the young man's face before his expression relaxed again, regaining its charm.
"So, are you friends with my cousins?" he continued, his tone sounding like simple curiosity.
"Not really," she answered, looking up while twisting a strand of hair around her fingers. "But I'm really good friends with Bella… Edward's girlfriend."
He nodded with apparent interest.
"Bella… dark hair, pale skin?" he asked, pretending to think for a moment.
"Yes! That's her, Bella Swan," she replied with enthusiasm, then frowned slightly. "You know her?"
"Recently, my family sent me some photos, and she was in one of them… with a tall guy, brown hair, light eyes," the young man said naturally, holding her gaze.
"Oh, that's Nate Winter!" she said, nodding eagerly. She lowered her voice, her tone conspiratorial. "He's Alice's boyfriend, in case you didn't know… though, well, they're not here right now. They went on a trip a few weeks ago, and it was a pretty big deal at school."
Her tone turned playful, like she was sharing gossip she'd been waiting to spill.
"A trip?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You don't know when they'll be back, do you?"
The girl shook her head, a touch of disappointment crossing her expression.
"No… but he said it would only be a few weeks, so they should be back any day now," she added, trying to sound optimistic.
He tilted his head, keeping his smile, though inside he felt a flicker of frustration.
"That's a shame, it would've been nice to meet him," he said, glancing out the window with feigned nonchalance before his eyes lit up as if struck by a great idea. "By any chance, do you know where Bella lives? If I stopped by, I could surprise my cousin."
The girl bit her lip lightly as she weighed the idea in her mind, glancing back at her table before looking at him again with a flirtatious spark.
"I'm not sure it's a good idea to give my friend's address to a stranger," she murmured, lowering her voice.
The young man let out a low chuckle, leaning a bit closer over the counter, closing the distance as his voice dropped to a murmur.
"You're right… I guess you should at least know my name."
She looked at him, curiosity bright in her eyes, a smile creeping back onto her lips.
"My name's Riley," he said softly, letting the smile settle on his face. "I guess I'm not a stranger anymore, right?"
The girl laughed softly, reaching out to him, her painted nails brushing lightly against Riley's skin as they shook hands.
"Nice to meet you, Riley…" she said, pausing for a moment before adding with a playful smile, "My name's Jessica… Do you have something to write with?"