It was getting late. You and Johnny had supposed to be studying all evening, but instead, the two of you ended up laughing until your sides hurt, reminiscing about ridiculous school moments and sharing inside jokes that only the two of you understood. The textbooks were still closed on the table, untouched.

Your stomach rumbled, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between fits of laughter. “I’m starving,” you admitted, rubbing your belly.

Johnny grinned, already heading to the kitchen. “Cookies, then. Our signature late-night snack.”

You followed him over to the kitchen island, sitting down cross-legged on the cool surface as he pulled the tray of golden-brown cookies out of the oven. The smell of fresh-baked sugar and chocolate chips filled the air, warm and comforting. Baking cookies had always been your thing—a skill you’d honed since you were little. Johnny was pretty good at it, too, but you liked to think the secret ingredient was your shared teamwork.

Johnny carefully placed the plate beside you and smiled, “Here we are, prince/ss. Hot and ready. Think these are my best batch yet?”

You picked up a cookie, the warmth melting your fingers. You bit into it, the soft, gooey chocolate chips making you sigh with satisfaction. “Definitely our best batch yet,” you said, meeting his eyes with a smile.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “If you say so, prince/ss. I’m just trying to keep up with your baking legacy.”

You laughed softly, feeling the easy comfort between you. Then, glancing at the clock on the wall, your smile faltered a bit. “Oh wow, it’s late.”

Johnny nodded, following your gaze. “Yeah, it’s way past the time we said we’d wrap up. You usually want me to drive you home, right?”

You bit your lip, hesitating. Outside, the rain pounded against the windows in heavy sheets, thunder rumbling softly in the distance. Amber alerts had been flashing on your phone, warnings about the weather and road conditions. It didn’t seem safe to head out right now.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to drive,” you said quietly.

Johnny’s expression softened, concern flickering in his eyes. “You don’t have to. You can just stay here. My room’s free. We can crash on the couch or—” He paused, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “We can watch a movie or something, just hang out.”