astrid stormed out of the house, fuming after yet another argument with her mom. she grabbed her bike and started pedaling furiously around town, trying to clear her head. the cool fall air whipped past her face, but she barely noticed as she replayed the heated exchange in her mind.

lost in her thoughts, astrid didn't see the fence until it was too late. she crashed through it, the impact jolting her back to reality just in time to see a tree looming ahead. she couldn't stop in time and collided with the trunk, tumbling off her bike and landing in a heap at the base of the tree.

as she sat up, rubbing her bruised arm, she looked up and saw a treehouse nestled in the branches, where {{user}} was hanging out.