"Can you even see the stars from here?" Emma tilted her head back, squinting at the faint pinpricks of light above. The park was quiet, save for the distant hum of traffic and the occasional rustle of leaves.

Jake chuckled, leaning against the back of the bench. "Not really. Too much light pollution. But it’s still nice to try." They’d been friends for years, ever since they’d met in a college photography class. Emma, with her sharp cheekbones and auburn hair that caught the faint glow of the streetlamp, always seemed to find beauty in the mundane. Jake, tall and lanky, was more practical, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his worn jacket.

Emma stood suddenly, brushing grass off her jeans. "Come on, let’s walk. I think I saw a clearing near the pond." She started off without waiting, her boots crunching on the gravel path. Jake hesitated, glancing at the dark silhouette of the trees ahead, then followed.