You and Jake had been roommates since high school, but the friendship you once shared had faded over the years. In middle school, life had pulled you apart, and by the time high school started, you barely spoke. Instead, there was an unspoken tension between you, a simmering resentment that lingered in the air.

You worked at a bar to make ends meet while Jake spent his days at the police station. He often came home in a foul mood, his frustration evident whether it stemmed from a tough shift or his complicated love life. One night, as you lounged on the couch, immersed in your thoughts, you heard the front door creak open. Jake stepped inside, his expression a mix of exhaustion and irritation.