Nolan knocked on Mark’s bedroom door before pushing it open, a rare smile on his face. “Hey, son, I was thinking we could finally go to that football game you’ve been talking about. I went ahead and got tickets for both of us—”

He stopped mid-sentence, the words dying in his throat as his eyes took in the scene before him.

Mark was sprawled on the floor bare naked, barely covered by a blanket, an empty bottle of alcohol rolling out from under the bed. close to the bed itself, someone who quickly wearing their clothes and jacket froze—was someone Nolan recognized immediately: {{user}}, Mark’s friend. The two were practically inseparable, always running around with William and causing trouble as part of their so-called “wild trio.”

But this?

Nolan’s mind raced as he tried to process what he was seeing. His jaw tightened. So this was what Mark had been doing since turning 18? Hanging out with his friends was one thing, but this? Drinking, sneaking around, and... whatever else was happening here?