Chapter 45
Morning After Chaos
Sunlight slowly crept through the tall glass windows of the mansion's living room.
The quiet was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Because the battlefield of the previous night was still there.
Blankets everywhere.
Pillows scattered across the floor.
Shoes under the couches.
Empty glasses on the center table.
And in the middle of that chaos…
Ten exhausted teenagers were sleeping like they had survived a war.
The Sleeping Arrangements
Kevin and Ash had fallen asleep half sitting against the couch, Ash's head on Kevin's shoulder while Kevin's arm rested protectively around her.
Daisy had curled up against Joong like a small cat, her hand gripping his shirt even in sleep.
Joong hadn't moved all night, afraid he would wake her.
Alex and Lyra were sleeping close on the carpet, Lyra's head resting near his arm. Alex had placed a blanket over her sometime during the night.
Nova and Ben had fallen asleep on the other side of the living room couch.
Nova's head rested on Ben's chest.
Ben's hand was still loosely holding hers.
Both of them looked surprisingly peaceful.
And then—
There were two people on the big couch.
Care.
And Cole.
Care had fallen asleep wrapped in Cole's jacket.
At some point during the night, she had curled slightly toward him without realizing.
Cole had noticed.
Of course he noticed.
But instead of moving away…
He had quietly stayed exactly where he was.
Now the morning sun was falling on their faces.
The First Victim of the Hangover
Joong woke first.
And immediately regretted it.
He groaned.
"Oh no."
His head felt like someone had replaced his brain with a drum.
He sat up slowly.
Then looked down.
Daisy was still asleep holding his shirt like it was a lifeline.
Joong smiled tiredly.
He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Morning, troublemaker."
Daisy opened one eye.
Then immediately closed it again.
"No talking."
Joong chuckled.
Kevin vs Reality
Kevin suddenly shot up from sleep.
Then immediately held his head.
"WHY IS THE WORLD SPINNING."
Ash groaned beside him.
"You screamed."
Kevin squinted at the room.
Then memories started returning.
Prom.
Dancing.
Truth game.
Nova confession.
Ben confession.
Kevin slowly turned toward them.
Nova and Ben were still sleeping together on the floor.
Kevin grinned.
"Oh this is going to be fun."
Nova and Ben's Panic
A few minutes later Nova woke up.
She stretched.
Then froze.
Her head was on Ben's chest.
Her hand was holding his.
And his arm was around her.
Her brain slowly processed last night.
The confession.
The kiss.
Nova sat up so fast she almost fell.
"Oh my GOD."
Ben woke up from the sudden movement.
"What—"
Then he remembered too.
They stared at each other.
Both red.
Both silent.
Then Nova whispered:
"...did we actually confess last night?"
Ben scratched the back of his neck.
"Yeah."
Nova covered her face.
"I'm never leaving this mansion again."
Kevin's voice came from the couch.
"Too late."
Nova screamed.
"You were awake?!"
Kevin grinned.
"Oh we ALL saw it."
The whole room slowly started waking up laughing.
Lyra and Alex
Lyra sat up slowly.
Her hair was a mess.
Alex looked at her.
Then smiled softly.
"You okay?"
She nodded.
But she looked shy.
Last night he had confessed to her.
And she had said yes.
Now everything felt new.
Different.
Good.
Alex reached forward and fixed her messy hair gently.
Lyra's cheeks turned pink.
Daisy immediately noticed.
She whispered loudly to Joong.
"THEY'RE BLUSHING."
Lyra threw a pillow at her.
The Discovery
Ash suddenly pointed dramatically.
"WAIT."
Everyone looked at her.
She was pointing at the couch.
At Care.
And Cole.
Care was still sleeping.
Wrapped tightly in Cole's jacket.
Her head resting close to him.
Cole was awake.
But pretending not to be.
Ash gasped.
"Oh my GOD."
Kevin started clapping slowly.
"Cole."
Cole opened one eye.
"What."
Daisy stood up dramatically.
"WHY IS SHE WEARING YOUR JACKET."
Cole sat up.
"She was cold."
Joong crossed his arms.
"Sure."
Ben added.
"Very believable."
Nova smirked.
"Extremely believable."
Care finally woke up from the noise.
She blinked sleepily.
"What happened?"
Then she realized she was still wearing Cole's jacket.
And everyone was staring.
Her face turned red instantly.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Kevin pointed at Cole.
"Ask your non-boyfriend."
Cole groaned.
"You guys are impossible."
The Video Disaster
Then suddenly—
Daisy screamed.
"WAIT."
Everyone jumped.
She was holding her phone.
"Oh no."
"What?" Lyra asked.
Daisy turned the phone around.
"I recorded last night."
Everyone froze.
Joong whispered.
"...you WHAT."
Daisy pressed play.
And the video started.
On screen:
Nova drunkenly saying
"Yeah I like Ben."
Then Ben confessing.
Then Kevin screaming.
Then Ash jumping.
Then the kiss.
The room exploded.
Nova tackled Daisy.
"DELETE THAT."
Daisy ran.
"NEVER."
Joong laughed so hard he almost fell off the couch.
The Quiet Moment
Eventually the chaos settled.
Some people moved to the kitchen.
Others cleaned up.
Care stayed in the living room for a moment.
Still wearing the jacket.
Cole walked back into the room.
They were alone now.
For once.
The teasing voices were far away.
Cole leaned against the couch.
"You okay?"
Care nodded.
"Yeah."
Then she hesitated.
And gently removed the jacket.
"Thanks for this."
She handed it to him.
But he didn't take it immediately.
Instead he looked at her.
"You can keep it."
Care blinked.
"What?"
"You look cold all the time."
She laughed softly.
"I'm not."
Cole shrugged.
"Still."
There was a small silence.
Comfortable.
But full of unspoken things.
Care looked away first.
Her heart was beating faster.
From the kitchen—
Kevin shouted.
"BREAKFAST TIME."
Ash added loudly.
"AND COLE IS COOKING."
Cole shouted back.
"I AM NOT."
Daisy yelled.
"YES YOU ARE."
Joong laughed.
"Chef Cole."
Care smiled quietly.
For the first time in a long time…
Everything felt peaceful.
Not perfect.
But warm.
Real.
A family.
Ten people.
Four couples.
And one story that was clearly not finished yet.