Alex set his glass on the side table, casting one last glance at the darkening sky before stepping back inside.
His voice wasn't loud, yet it cut through the room's chaos—smooth, steady, and impossible to ignore.
"Rain's coming. Better leave before it traps us."
Jordan, halfway through a story that had Emily doubled over in laughter, glanced toward the balcony like he hadn't even noticed the clouds. Lina groaned, already curling tighter against Emily's shoulder.
"Do we have to? It feels like we just got here."
Emily tossed her hair dramatically. "Exactly. Which is why George should get us a teleportation device. George?" She raised her voice toward the phone propped on a soda can.
George's voice crackled from the screen, dry as ever. "Let me finish dinner with my family in China, then I'll get right on it."
Jordan downed the rest of his drink with a grin. "Teleportation or not, I call shotgun if we're running in the rain."
