Afternoon crept in before I noticed.
The laundry was already folded.
Vegetables for the week were chopped and packed into containers.
The kitchen smelled like onions and spices from whatever Erin had decided we were meal prepping today.
I wiped down the counter while my phone buzzed on the table behind me.
Study notes.
Photos of textbook pages.
Voice notes explaining things I hadn't even gotten to yet.
Lunara and Miren were clearly taking this weekend seriously.
Every few minutes I glanced over just long enough to save the messages for later.
Midterms.
That word kept circling my brain like a warning bell.
Before I could spiral too far into it, the front door opened.
Dad was back from tennis.
"Morning!"
He always said it like the day had just started, even when half of it was already gone.
He walked in carrying a white box.
Cupcakes.
Of course.
He dropped his tennis bag near the door and walked straight to Erin.
"Welcome home, babe," she said, turning toward him.
He kissed her cheek.
"Something smells amazing."
"You say that every week," she replied, but she was smiling.
I walked over and wrapped my arms around him.
"Hi, Dad."
"Hey," he said, squeezing my shoulder before handing me the box. "Careful with that."
Jace appeared instantly, like he had been summoned by the word cupcakes alone.
"What did you bring?"
He opened the box before I could answer.
Inside were twelve cupcakes, each one decorated differently.
"Whoa."
He looked up immediately.
"I'm taking the chocolate one."
"You're not," I said.
"You always steal the good ones."
"I do not."
Dad leaned against the counter, amused.
"Just make sure you leave one for Aisling," he said. "And Liam if he shows up before they're gone."
Jace already had one halfway out of the box.
"I don't see Liam."
"That doesn't mean he won't appear when food is involved," Dad said.
I laughed quietly and closed the lid again before the entire box disappeared.
Erin's voice cut through the moment.
"Cala, bring your father his breakfast."
The kitchen shifted right back into motion.
I set the cupcake box down and carried a plate to the table.
Dad and Erin were already talking about something from his tennis game.
I didn't follow the conversation.
My mind had already wandered somewhere else.
Midterms.
Study notes.
How much I still hadn't read.
My phone buzzed again.
This time the name on the screen wasn't the group chat.
Dylan.
Dylan: Hey.
Dylan: You disappeared yesterday.
Dylan: Everything okay?
I wiped my hands on the towel before replying.
Me: I'm sorry.
Me: I didn't mean to disappear.
Me: I've just been spiraling between chores and studying.
Me: How are you today?
His reply came quickly.
Dylan: That sounds like a lot.
Dylan: I'm good though.
Dylan: Just working on something in the studio.
I stared at the message for a second before typing again.
Me: That sounds nice.
Then Erin asked me to bring more plates from the cupboard and I set the phone down.
By the time I picked it up again, another message had appeared.
Dylan: Are you still there?
Me: Sorry.
Me: I had to help with something.
Dylan: Don't worry about it.
Dylan: Just checking on you.
I smiled a little at that.
Me: I'm okay.
Then the kitchen filled up again and I locked the screen.
The rest of the afternoon slipped away in small tasks.
Dishes.
Sweeping.
Packing containers into the fridge.
By the time the last of it was done, my shoulders felt heavy.
I finally escaped back to my room and opened my notebook.
Midterms.
Pages of notes.
Messages from Lunara explaining something I hadn't even started reading yet.
The words sat on the page.
I tried to focus.
Nothing stayed.
A knock sounded against the doorframe.
Aisling stepped inside, tying her hair back.
"You're still studying?"
"I'm trying."
She looked at the open notebook and then back at me.
"You look exhausted."
"I'm fine."
She shook her head.
"Go rest," she said. "I'll finish the kitchen."
"You don't have to."
"I know," she said. "But I will."
She walked back toward the hallway.
I looked down at the notebook again.
The words were still there.
My brain just wouldn't hold them anymore.