The music pulsed through the house like a living thing, the bass rattling the windows, colored LEDs painting the walls in waves of purple, pink, and blue. The scent of food drifted from the bar in the kitchen, mixing with the faint tang of alcohol and the cool night air streaming in from the open garden doors.

{{user}} stood outside with Soley and Ilaya, laughing over some ridiculous story Soley was telling. The garden lights twinkled above them, casting a soft glow on the patio. Everything felt alive—her house, usually quiet when her parents were home, was transformed into the perfect party space.

But then Marco appeared, slightly out of breath, running a hand through his hair. His expression was worried.

“Uh… {{user}}?” he said, leaning close so she could hear him over the music. “It’s River.”

Immediately her laughter softened into concern. “What about him?”

Marco rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “He’s… uh… super drunk. Like, completely wasted. He’s in the upstairs bathroom, leaning over the toilet. Said he’s really nauseous. I didn’t want to leave him alone, but I figured you should know.”