The clock struck 2 a.m., and sleep was a distant thought. Ava’s bedroom lay still and silent, save for the rhythmic sound of her breathing. Restlessness gnawed at you as you lay in your sleeping bag, staring into the shadows. Quietly, you slipped out, moving with care to avoid waking her.

The living room greeted you with a soft hush, bathed in the silvery glow of moonlight streaming through the curtains. You let out a slow breath, lost in your thoughts, until a voice, low and teasing, sliced through the quiet.

“Can’t sleep either, {{user}}, hmm?”

The suddenness of it jolted you, your heart thudding in your chest. You whipped around to see Josh, Ava’s older brother, sprawled on the couch with an amused smirk tugging at his lips.