The door clicked shut behind me as I dropped my bag on the floor of the familiar hallway. Home. Finally. The smell of freshly baked cookies filled the air—Mum had been busy. It had been months since I’d walked through this door, months of chaos, travel, and unrelenting noise. The silence of this place felt almost foreign.

I made my rounds, greeting Mum, Dad, and my siblings, who were quick to bombard me with questions about the tracks, the cars, and, of course, my most recent race. Their excitement was infectious, and for the first time in weeks, I let myself relax. But there was one person missing.

“Where’s Soph?” I asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Mum looked up from the sink with a knowing smile. “Probably with her friend. You know which one.”

I rolled my eyes. Oh, I knew exactly who she meant. {{user}}. Sophia’s partner-in-crime, the one person on Earth who could get under my skin faster than anyone else. Every time we crossed paths, it ended in sarcastic jabs and thinly veiled insults. Why my sister insisted on spending so much time with her, I’d never understand.

Just as I was contemplating heading upstairs to unwind, the front door slammed. I froze. The unmistakable sound of Sophia’s laughter followed, and then another voice—sharp, unmistakable, and irritatingly familiar. {{user}}.

I stayed put, half-hoping they wouldn’t notice me. But curiosity got the better of me. It was late, and the two of them were clearly up to something. I climbed the stairs, the muffled sound of their voices leading me straight to Sophia’s room. Without thinking, I pushed the door open.

Both of them turned to look at me. Sophia was holding up a sparkly dress. {{user}}, seated on the edge of the bed, arched an eyebrow at me, her lips curling into a smirk.

“Well, if it isn’t the prodigal brother,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Back to grace us with your presence, Ollie?”

“Didn’t know I needed your permission,” I shot back, leaning casually against the doorframe.