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I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating against the nightstand. My eyes refused to open at first, the heaviness of sleep still clinging to me. I rubbed at them, squinting as a weak glow crept through the thick curtains. Even with the room dim, it was still too bright for how tired I felt.
At least the phone was close. I stretched out my hand, patting the wooden surface until my fingers brushed against it. The screen lit up.
Unknown Number.
My chest tightened. It was the same number from yesterday — Sam's number.
For a moment, I just stared at it, thumb hovering above the screen. If she were still mad, she wouldn't be calling, I told myself. Then again, maybe she was calling because she was mad.
I pressed the answer button before I could overthink it, bringing the phone slowly to my ear.
"Hey?" I said, dragging the word out, my voice scratchy and groggy. She'd definitely know I had just woken up.
"I won't even ask what I was about to ask," she said, her tone light and teasing. Relief washed over me instantly.
I frowned. "Umm… what?"
"I was about to ask if you went shopping," she said, chuckling.
"Oh, right. Shopping." My brain was still half asleep. "This early?"
I pulled the phone away to check the time — and froze.
"Shit," I muttered. Three fifteen in the afternoon. I had slept through half the day.
Sam burst out laughing. "You should've told me to wake you up yesterday," she said between laughs. "But hey, it's still early for shopping."
Her voice was warm, playful, familiar sending chills to my whole body. I could get used to waking up to this voice. The tension I'd been carrying since last night melted away.
"Did you meet up with Ruby?" I asked, remembering she'd mentioned hanging out with her today.
"I just got here," she said, and then there was a thud followed by her muttering, thank you, keep the change.
"I have to go, but we'll talk later," she said quickly.
There was a pause — just long enough for me to catch the sound of someone squealing in excitement in the background.
"Bye!"
"B—"
Rude
She hung up before I could finish.
I exhaled and let the phone drop onto the bed, a smile tugging at my lips. My sleepiness was gone, replaced by the light flutter of butterflies in my stomach.
I buried my face in the pillow, grinning like an idiot.
After a few minutes of lying there, I swung my legs off the bed and made my way to the kitchen. The quiet hum of the fridge filled the air.
I poured some cereal into a bowl, added milk, and sat at the counter scrolling through my phone.
Still no message from Sandy. No missed calls.
My chest tightened again. She must really be mad. I couldn't remember the last time we went a whole day without talking. Even when she got grounded, she always found a way to reach me — sneaking her mom's tablet, borrowing her friends phone, something.
Not this time.
I sighed and tapped the call button anyway. The phone rang three times before a familiar voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Mrs. Mathews? It's Jolls." My voice came out a little too soft, and I scratched the back of my neck nervously. "How are you?"
"Oh, hi Jolls!" she said brightly, her voice warm and welcoming. "I'm good, dear. How about you?"
"I'm doing okay. I was wondering if I could talk to Sandy?"
"Right to business, huh?" she teased with a laugh.
I rubbed my forehead awkwardly. "Sorry…"
"It's okay, I'm just teasing," she said. "She's not here at the moment, but I'll tell her you called."
"Okay," I said, trying to hide my disappointment.
"Don't be a stranger, sweetheart. We'll catch up soon, alright?"
"Yeah, sure. Bye."
When the line went dead, I just sat there, phone still in my hand. Something didn't add up. Sam had made it sound like there'd been some kind of emergency, but from how calm Mrs. Mathews sounded, everything seemed perfectly normal.
I shook my head and decided not to dwell on it. The more I thought about it, the worse I'd feel.
Instead, I turned on the radio and cranked the volume up. The heavy beat of trap music filled the room, bouncing off the walls. I washed my bowl and left it on the rack, trying to lose myself in the rhythm.
A sudden loud knock interrupted the music.
I sighed, trying to keep the smile I'd worn all afternoon. When I opened the door, Brandon stood there with his usual grin, waving like an overexcited puppy.
"Hi, neighbor!"
"Hi?" I said, more question than greeting.
He laughed, unbothered. "I came to get you so we can go to the pool."
"Oh. I can't. I have somewhere I need to be," I said quickly. I'd completely forgotten about his invitation.
He pouted dramatically. "And here I was, really looking forward to it."
"Maybe another day," I offered.
"Okay," he said, turning to leave. Halfway down the hall, he spun back around, eyes lighting up. "Oh! I almost forgot — we're having a party tonight. You should totally come!"
"A party?"
"Yeah! Chase's end-of-break tradition. He always throws one the night before classes start."
I smiled faintly. "I'll come if I can."
"Nope, no excuses." He pointed at me with mock seriousness. "I'll come get you."
And just like that, he was gone.
"This boy's going to be trouble," I muttered, closing the door behind me.
I turned on the shower, waiting for the water to warm before stepping in. The first spray hit my shoulders, sending a small shiver through me. The mint scent of my shower gel filled the air — sharp and fresh. Sandy always told me to switch to something "less intense," but I loved the burn. It woke me up, made me feel grounded.
By the time I stepped out, steam clung to my skin and the mirror was fogged over. I wrapped myself in a towel, picked up my clothes from the floor, and threw them on the bed to remind myself to fold them later.
After a long debate with myself, I settled on a pair of grey cargo shorts, a black t-shirt, and my usual sneakers. My watch completed the look — I never took it off, and I didn't plan to start now.
When I finally left the apartment, it was almost four-thirty. The sun had started to dip lower, painting the street in soft gold. I decided to walk to the mall — it wasn't far, maybe a twenty minutes walk.
The city felt half-asleep. The sound of cars in the distance, a faint breeze carrying the smell of food from a nearby café — it all felt strangely peaceful.
I spent about half an hour at the mall, picking up school supplies — books, pens, a new bag, and a few other things. For a moment, I almost wandered into a clothing store but stopped myself. I'd wait for Sandy. She had better taste anyway.
We'll make up soon, I told myself. We always do.
By the time I got home, it was a little past seven. I'd stopped for dinner at a small restaurant on the way back, so the sky had already turned dark. The apartment was quiet when I stepped inside, the kind of quiet that hums in your ears.
I dropped my bags in the spare room and set everything neatly on the study table.
Then I heard it — the bass thumping from next door.
The party had started.
Music pounded through the walls, laughter spilling into the hallway. At first, it was background noise, but soon it grew louder — too loud. I could hear shouting, maybe even a small argument outside. Someone dropped a bottle.
I sank onto the couch, turning on the TV for distraction, but it was useless. The noise swallowed everything.
My patience snapped. I threw my head back and groaned.
"Unbelievable," I muttered.
Then — a sudden, sharp knock on my door. Three short raps.
I froze.
For a moment, I thought about ignoring it. But curiosity tugged at me.
Maybe it was Brandon. Maybe not.
The knocking came again, louder this time.
I stood, heart quickening.
So much for a quiet night, I thought — and reached for the doorknob.