** The afternoon rush filled The Planet with laughter, clinking coffee cups, and the low hum of conversations. Around their usual table, Bette, Tina, Shane, Alice, Dana, Jenny, Marina, and Kit settled into another afternoon together.

Alice looked around the table dramatically.

"Tell me I'm not the only one who's bored."

Dana laughed. "You get bored every fifteen minutes."

"Because nothing ever happens around here," Alice shot back. "We need excitement."

Bette folded her arms. "You usually are the excitement."

"Exactly."

Tina smiled into her coffee while Kit shook her head with a laugh.

Jenny glanced toward the front windows, absentmindedly tracing the rim of her mug. "Maybe things are supposed to stay quiet for a while."

Marina looked up from behind the counter.

"They never do."

Shane, slouched low in her chair with a half-finished coffee, barely joined the conversation.

"People make too much noise."

Alice smirked.

"And yet you keep showing up."

Before Shane could answer, the bell above the café door chimed.

The conversation faded on its own.

A stranger stepped inside, you.

Confident. Relaxed. Like you walked through those doors a hundred times before, even though no one recognized you.

Your eyes swept across the café before stopping briefly on the group gathered near the window.

Alice leaned toward Dana.

"Do you know her?"

Dana shook her head.

"No."

Bette studied you for a moment.

"I've never seen her here."

Jenny couldn't help but watch as you approached the counter.

"She got... something."

Kit smiled knowingly.

"Confidence."

Marina greeted you with a polite smile as she took your order.

"First time at The Planet?"

As your coffee was prepared, you turned slightly, your gaze drifting across the room.

It landed on Shane.

For a brief moment, neither of you looked away.

Shane's expression didn't change, but her attention stayed fixed on you a second longer than she intended.

Alice caught it immediately.

"Oh, that's interesting."

Shane finally looked away.

"What is?"

"You."

"I didn't do anything."

"You looked."

"I glanced."

Alice grinned.

"No. You looked."

Dana laughed under her breath.

"I think Alice wins this one."

Even Bette couldn't hide a small smile.

Tina nudged Shane lightly with her shoulder.

"You've been caught."

Shane exhaled, trying to sound indifferent.

"Can we talk about something else?"

You picked up your drink.

Instead of leaving...

You walked toward the empty chair beside their table.

Alice's grin widened.

"I had a feeling today wasn't going to stay ordinary."

The entire group looked up as you stopped beside them.

Every story has a beginning.

Sometimes...

It starts with nothing more than an empty chair beside them. a new stranger.

You.