Morning arrived quietly.
Too quietly.
The sunlight slipped through the curtains in thin golden lines, falling across the living room like nothing had happened the night before.
But the room told a different story.
Empty cups.
Crushed balloons.
A sticky floor.
Andrea was the first one to wake up.
Not because she slept well.
Because her head felt like someone was hitting it with a hammer.
She groaned softly and buried her face into the couch pillow.
"Ugh…"
Her mouth was dry.
Her stomach twisted.
Her brain slowly started replaying fragments of the night.
The party.
Samuel.
The bathroom.
Matthew knocking on the door.
Andrea's eyes snapped open.
"Oh no."
She slowly sat up.
Bad idea.
The room spun slightly.
Andrea held her head and looked around.
Her sister was still asleep on the floor, lying sideways with the empty bottle still loosely in her hand.
Andrea sighed.
"Classic."
Across the room, Tom was still sleeping against the wall, his head tilted awkwardly.
And in the armchair—
Samuel.
One leg stretched out, head leaning back, arms crossed. He looked surprisingly peaceful for someone who spent most of his time being annoying.
Andrea squinted at him.
"Why are you even here…"
Then she noticed someone else.
Matthew.
He was awake.
Standing quietly in the kitchen doorway with a glass of water in his hand.
Andrea froze slightly.
Matthew noticed.
"Morning," he said softly.
Andrea blinked.
"Morning."
Her voice sounded rough.
Matthew walked over and placed the glass on the table in front of her.
"You should drink that."
Andrea looked at the water like it was a miracle.
"Thank you."
She grabbed it and drank half the glass immediately.
Matthew leaned against the counter.
"You're alive at least."
Andrea wiped her mouth.
"Barely."
Matthew glanced around the messy living room.
"Your sister might need a funeral."
Andrea looked down at her sister.
"She'll survive."
Matthew almost smiled again.
For a moment, the room felt strangely calm.
Quiet.
Normal.
But Andrea noticed something.
Samuel's eyes were open.
He had been awake.
Watching.
Samuel stretched lazily in the chair.
"Good morning, birthday girl."
Andrea groaned.
"Please don't start."
Samuel smirked.
"You look terrible."
"Thank you."
Tom shifted slightly on the floor and slowly woke up too.
He blinked at the ceiling.
"Why does my neck hurt?"
Samuel laughed quietly.
"Because you slept like a folded chair."
Tom sat up slowly.
"Oh."
He looked around the destroyed living room.
"…Wow."
Andrea leaned back on the couch again.
"My sister is going to regret this."
As if on cue, her sister suddenly groaned loudly from the floor.
"Water…"
Andrea pointed at her.
"See?"
Tom laughed.
Samuel stood up and stretched again.
"Well," he said, "this was fun."
Andrea raised an eyebrow.
"You call this fun?"
Samuel shrugged.
"Entertaining."
Matthew crossed his arms.
"Some of us might have to explain things later."
Samuel glanced at him.
"Oh?"
Matthew looked toward Andrea for a moment.
Then back at Samuel.
"Rumors travel fast."
Andrea felt her stomach twist again.
Samuel tilted his head slightly.
"Relax, Neyman."
Matthew's eyes narrowed.
"I'm serious."
Samuel smirked.
"You're always serious."
The tension between them returned instantly.
Andrea noticed.
Tom noticed.
Even her half-asleep sister noticed enough to squint at them.
Andrea sighed.
"Can we not start a war before breakfast?"
Samuel laughed.
Matthew shook his head slightly.
Tom stood up and stretched.
"I'm getting coffee."
Andrea raised a hand weakly.
"Bring me back to life if you can."
Tom smiled.
"I'll try."
As he walked into the kitchen, Andrea leaned back into the couch again.
Her head still hurt.
The house still smelled like alcohol.
But the quiet morning felt strangely peaceful.
At least for now.
Because Andrea had the feeling…
This was only the calm before something else started.