Dinner was over, the dishes stacked neatly in the sink, and the quiet of evening had settled around us like a blanket. I'd claimed the couch with a book in hand, legs stretched out. It was one of those rare, peaceful moments—no exams, no classmates, no interruptions. Just words on a page.
At least, until Val decided peace was optional.
I didn't even hear her at first. She drifted over barefoot, carrying a small plate piled with something sweet—cupcakes, by the look of it, each one decorated with uneven swirls of frosting that probably came from her own heavy-handed attempt in the kitchen. She set the plate down on the coffee table, then slipped onto the couch beside me, tucking one leg beneath her as she leaned in close.
I kept reading, though my eyes slowed on the words. She was smiling at me. I could feel it before I saw it.
I froze and finally turned my head. "What?"
