The warm yellow glow of the living room lamp made the whole place feel softer than it really was. The crunch of cheese balls filled the quiet between me and Dad, orange dust clinging to our fingers as we sat slouched on the couch. The TV was on but muted, flickering light across the living room walls.
Dad chuckled mid-bite. "That neighbor across the street? The one with the plastic flamingos? She's got a new hobby now—sits in the window with binoculars like she's the neighborhood CIA."
I snorted, nearly choking on my snack. "She caught me coming back with Aria once and asked if I was hiding a double life. Who even says that?"
Dad laughed harder, and for a few minutes, the world felt small, safe, ordinary.
Then my phone buzzed on the coffee table.
Adrien's name lit up the screen. My heart skipped in that way it always did.
"Hey," I answered, already smiling.
