I stood there for a second after Mom left.
Just… standing.
Then my phone buzzed again in my hand and I looked down at it like it had personally offended me.
Nothing important.
Just silence wrapped in notifications.
"…Great," I muttered.
I pushed myself up and walked over to the drawers near the hallway, opening one… then another… then another like I was expecting something dramatic to just appear.
Nothing.
No secret letters.
No hidden files.
No "surprise, your life makes sense now" document.
Just… normal stuff.
I stared into one of the drawers for a second longer than necessary.
"…Wow. Very helpful."
I shut it and turned away.
My room felt different too.
Quieter.
But not in a bad way.
Just… mine.
I dropped onto my chair and pulled out my sketchbook—the one I barely used for anything serious.
Flipped it open.
Empty pages staring back at me.
I hesitated.
Then reached for my laptop.
Opened it.
Scrolled.
And there it was.
The beach photo.
I paused.
My fingers hovered for a second before I clicked it open.
Mom and Dad—linked arms, smiling like nothing in the world could touch them.
Everyone else packed into the frame—
Nena kissing Jake's cheek while he looked both proud and embarrassed.
Luca standing way too comfortably.
Liam mid-laugh.
Lal practically glued to Mark, who looked like he was suffering but refusing to move.
And me…
Standing next to Ethan.
Close.
Not touching.
But close enough to notice.
I stared at it for a moment.
Then quietly sent it to my laptop screen.
Set it there.
And picked up my pencil.
At first, it was nothing.
Just lines.
Light.
Careful.
Testing.
I sketched the outline of the frame… then erased it.
Too stiff.
I started again.
This time—
Softer.
Letting my hand move without overthinking.
Curves forming where shoulders should be.
Angles shaping faces.
I paused at Mom's smile—
Adjusted it slightly.
Warmer.
Dad's posture—
Relaxed it.
Then moved on.
Nena's energy was easy—sharp lines, playful tilt.
Jake's expression took longer… I kept adjusting his eyes until they looked just right—caught between pride and chaos.
I didn't even realize when I leaned closer.
When my grip on the pencil tightened.
When the lines stopped being random and started becoming…
People.
Real.
Luca's posture—loose.
Liam's laugh—caught mid-motion.
Lal leaning too close.
Mark—
I slowed there.
Carefully shaping his expression.
Focused.
Calm.
And then—
Me.
I hesitated.
"…This is weird."
But I drew it anyway.
Simple.
Not too detailed.
Then—
Ethan.
My hand slowed.
Just a little.
I didn't overdo it.
Didn't make it dramatic.
Just…
Him.
Standing there.
Looking like he always does when he's not trying.
At some point—
Time stopped existing.
No thoughts.
No noise.
Just pencil against paper.
Erase.
Redo.
Shade.
Fix.
Blend.
Adjust.
Again.
And again.
And again.
When I finally stopped—
It wasn't because I wanted to.
It was because my hand hurt.
I blinked.
Sat back.
"…What time is it?"
I grabbed my phone.
And froze.
"…Wait—WHAT?"
Hours.
Hours had passed.
I looked down slowly.
At the sketch.
And my breath caught.
"…No way."
People.
Actual people.
Proportions—right.
Expressions—there.
Not perfect.
But—
Real.
For the first time.
Ever.
I stared at it like it might disappear.
Then—
I smiled.
Wide.
Immediate.
"Mark."
I didn't even think.
I just called him.
Video.
No warning.
Nothing.
I quickly tied my hair into a messy bun while it rang, practically bouncing in place.
"Pick up, pick up, pick up—"
Click.
The screen lit up.
Mark.
On his bed.
A pen in his hand.
A book open.
Glasses slipping slightly down his nose.
And—
"…Are you crying?"
He blinked slowly.
"…No."
"Your eyes are literally wet."
He wiped under one eye casually."I'm reading."
I narrowed my eyes."What book is making you cry like that?"
He held it up.
"…Physics."
I stared.
Then burst out laughing.
"Physics?!"
He nodded seriously."It's very emotional."
"You're actually unbelievable."
"Guess what," I said, leaning closer to the camera.
He shook his head immediately."I don't play those games."
I blinked.
"Guess. What."
I smiled, raising my eyebrows.
He sighed dramatically."…You finally decided to be nice to me?"
I paused.
"…No."
"…Rude."
"I drew something."
He went still.
"…Okay?"
I turned the camera slowly.
Showed him.
Silence.
A long one.
Then—
His expression changed.
Soft.
Like something just… settled in his chest.
"You drew people."
I grinned.
"I drew people."
"…You drew us."
I nodded.
He sat up properly now.
"Wait."
He grabbed his phone, angled it, and took a picture of the drawing from the screen.
"I'm saving this."
I laughed.
"You're so dramatic."
"I've been waiting for this," he said simply.
That hit.
Soft.
Warm.
"…Thank you," I said quietly.
He nodded once.
"Yeah."
Then he leaned back, a small smile forming.
"You're actually the best."
I rolled my eyes.
"I know."
He flipped invisible hair.
"Yeah, I know too."
I blinked.
"…I'm also sassy."
He pointed.
"Absolutely not."
I giggled.
"Go sleep," he said after a moment.
"You go sleep."
"I was reading."
"You were crying over physics."
"Same thing."
We both smiled.
"Goodnight, Ayana."
"Goodnight, Mark."
Call ended.
I dropped my phone beside me and flopped onto the bed.
Stared at the ceiling.
Then turned my head slowly to the clock.
"…Almost midnight."
I sat up slightly.
"I'm not sleeping."
Pause.
"…Maybe I'll watch TV."
Another pause.
"…Exams."
I groaned loudly and dropped back down.
"Why is life like this."
I pulled the blanket over myself.
"…Fine. I'll sleep."
A beat.
"…I hate responsibility."
But still—
I closed my eyes.
And this time—
Sleep came easier.