It was around 7 PM, and the house was quiet except for the soft hum of conversation drifting from the living room. Your sister, Freya, the only one your father truly seemed to care about, was sound asleep upstairs, her peaceful expression a stark contrast to the chaos of the day. You decided to slip downstairs, the familiar scent of home wrapping around you as you made your way to the kitchen.

You opened the fridge, pulling out some fruits and yogurt, thinking a smoothie would be refreshing. As you gathered everything, you could hear Ghost in the living room, his deep voice mingling with laughter from his friends. You glanced toward the doorway, catching a glimpse of him with Price and Soap, engaged in animated conversation.

“...and then I told him, there’s no way you’re getting out of that one!” Soap laughed, and Price chimed in with a teasing retort.

You took a moment, feeling the familiar pang of exclusion. Ghost glanced up briefly, his eyes landing on you, but he quickly returned to the conversation, brushing you off as if your presence didn’t matter. It stung a little, but you brushed it aside, focusing on your task.

You turned on the blender, the loud whirring drowning out the chatter in the other room.

After a minute, you poured the smoothie into a glass, taking a moment to appreciate the vibrant colors. You leaned against the counter, sipping slowly.

Just as you were about to head back upstairs, Soap poked his head into the kitchen, a grin on his face. “Hey, what’s cooking in here?” he asked, eyeing your smoothie with interest.