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February 2nd 2014 | Blackwood mountain; 23:50

SNOWFLAKES DRIFTED LAZILY in the dim glow of the lodge lights as we all gathered outside. I glanced over at Emily, who was already chattering away with her boyfriend. We met at an audition years ago, both going after the main roles. And we both have gotten themโ€”she always had all the things I lacked but secretly admired. I'd always felt more comfortable in the quiet, behind the scenes, where I could blend into the background, but Emily saw something in me that I didn't. She'd pull me out of my shell, drag me to parties, and make sure I wasn't just fading into the walls. That's how I met Josh, actually. Emily had dragged me along to one of her infamous after-show parties, and there he was, awkward and out of place, much like me, thanks to his sisters, who wanted him to meet more people.

Josh and I clicked in this strange, unspoken way. We didn't have to say much to understand each other. Where everyone else saw his strange sense of humor or the dark looks he'd sometimes slip into, I saw a kind of reflection. I knew what it was like to feel lost in your own head. We were both loners, in our own ways, stuck between feeling too much and nothing at all. It became our silent bond, and over time, it felt like we were inseparable.

But his sisters... Beth and Hannah were always nice enough, always warm in that way only they could pull off, but we'd never really been close. I could feel their attempts to reach out, but there was always a kind of boundary I didn't know how to cross. Still, I've never felt unwelcome around them.

Chris, Josh, and I sat at the small island, sipping our beers. It was late, and our big party plans had dissolved into something smaller. I could hear Jess talking loudly to Matt and Ashley over by the door, their laughter rising now and then. Emily and Mike were tucked away on the couch, wrapped in each other, while Sam, Beth, and Hannah played an old board game near the fireplace.

Chris swirled his beer. "Alright," he started, raising his brows. "What do you guys say we shake things up with some drunk games?"

Josh leaned forward, his eyes lighting up. "Sounds like a plan. How about you, Coco?" he asked, studying me with a playful look, clearly knowing my answer before I even spoke. He knew I wasn't exactly a heavy drinker, but he always got a kick out of seeing how far he could push me before I'd back out.

I rolled my eyes, shrugging off the butterflies that twisted in my stomach. "I'm in," I declared, trying to sound braver than I felt. Josh shot me an amused smile, almost as if he was daring me to keep up with them.

We started off simple. Chris found some red plastic cups and decided on "Drunk Jenga," stacking the blocks unevenly, his hands already wobbling from the few drinks he'd had. A few rounds in, the tower wobbled, crashed, and we all laughed as Chris had to knock back his drink as punishment.

After "Never Have I Ever," which quickly turned into a hilarious confession session, Chris leaned back, looking unsatisfied. "This isn't enough. We need shots." He glanced over at the bottle of tequila Josh had stashed in the cabinet.

I raised a brow. "You're kidding, right?"

Josh chuckled. "Come on, Coco. What's the harm? Just one." He gave me that look, the one that was equal parts encouraging and teasing. 

"Fine," I grumbled, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "I'm in."

The shots came out, and soon we were taking turns, one by one, tossing them back. My head started to spin and I wasn't sure how long we'd been going, but eventually, the infamous "Chris and Ashley" topic came up, and I couldn't help myself. I leaned in, nudging Chris with a grin.

"So, Chris," I started, "what's it gonna take for you to finally ask Ashley out, huh?"

His face turned pink, and he shot me a look before making sure Ashley didn't hear that. "What? I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled, but his voice was too defensive, giving him away.

Josh chuckled, looking like he wanted to join in the teasing, but his eyes had started to drift, growing unfocused. I watched as he leaned back, his expression blanking out before he slumped forward, his head landing on the counter with a dull thud.

I snorted. "Lightweight," I murmured, grinning as Chris struggled to his feet, wobbling toward the couch and muttering something unintelligible before collapsing into the cushions.

I stumbled forward, my body swaying with each step and I started to laugh. I didn't even know what was so funnyโ€”I just couldn't stop. My legs gave out, and I fell to my knees.

Suddenly, Emily crouched beside me. I thought maybe she was checking if I was okay, but instead, she gave me a sly smile. "Hey, Cora," she whispered, nudging me gently, "there's a prank going on that you have to see."

I blinked, her words barely registering. "A prank? Now?"

"Yeah, just come on!" She grinned, practically dragging me up onto my feet, guiding me forward as I stumbled beside her, my head spinning with each step. I squinted at her, still feeling a bit lost.

"What time is it, anyway?" I asked, realising that we'd been drinking for hours.

She shrugged. "I don't know, maybe two a.m.?"

She led me down the hallway and into a room I barely recognized. She tugged me over to a bed, and I squished myself underneath, barely fitting as she shoved me into place. My head felt foggy, but I could make out Jess beside me.

"What's going on?" I whispered, glancing at Jess and then back at Emily.

Emily grinned. "Just wait," she whispered back.

Then, in the faint light, I saw Hannah, clutching a candle as she entered the guest room.

"Mike?" Hannah called softly, glancing around.

"Hey, Hannah." He leaned back against the bed frame. "Glad you could make it."

Hannah's cheeks flushed as she moved closer to him. "I got your note." Her voice was so genuine, so vulnerable.

Mike raised a brow, smirking. "Maybe we should start with a little, you know, making out, and see where it goes from there." I glanced at Emily, and she merely rolled her eyes, as if to say it was harmless fun.

Hannah's hands shook as she fumbled to take off her blouse. She was so focused on him, so wrapped up in the moment, she had no idea we were all watching. My heart sank as I watched her.

"Oh, hell yeah," Mike muttered, unable to keep the grin off his face.

Beside me, Jess could barely contain herself. She whispered through her laughter, "Oh my God! She's actually taking her shirt off!"

The words cut through the air like ice, and Hannah froze. Her head snapped around, eyes widening as she caught sight of us hiding under the bed, realising what was happening.

"What...? Oh, my God!" She looked around wildly as we all stumbled out from our hiding spots.

Matt appeared from the closet. Hannah's gaze landed on him.

"Matt?" she stammered. "What are you doing here?!"

Matt raised his hand in the air. "Uh, I'm sorry, Hannah, this all got outta hand, but..."

Before he could finish, Sam entered the room. She looked at Hannah and instantly understood. "Hannah! Hannah, hey, honey... don't..." She reached out, but Hannah was already shaking her head.

"Mike!" Hannah's voice broke, and before any of us could react, she turned and bolted from the room.

Sam sighed, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "Stupid prank." She shot a glare at us. "You guys are jerks. You know that?"

As Sam left, calling out after Hannah, the room fell into silence. Mike rubbed the back of his neck, muttering under his breath, "Ugh... damn..."

I stood there, the alcohol still buzzing in my veins. I'd been a part of this, and I knew exactly how much Josh cared about his sisters, especially Hannah. He'd be crushed if he saw her like that, humiliated and alone. A pang of guilt pulsed in my chest, and before I even knew what I was doing, I felt my feet moving.

Ignoring the calls behind me, I dashed towards the front door, stepping into the biting cold without a coat, barely registering the snow biting into my skin. "Hannah!" My voice echoed. I knew it was a terrible idea, drunk and disoriented as I was, but I couldn't shake the image of her face. Trying to sleep with my best friends boyfriend is shitty, but we shouldn't have had lead her on.

Branches whipped against my arms as I stumbled through the undergrowth. My vision blurred as I ran deeper into the forest. I could faintly hear the others calling my name, but I ignored them, my only focus was on finding Hannah. I had to bring her back to Josh.

"Hannah!" I shouted again. My chest tightened as I saw movement in the distanceโ€”just a shadow, a glimpseโ€”but enough to keep me going.

I took a step forward, feeling my balance slip beneath me. Suddenly, my foot gave way, catching on a rock or root I couldn't see, and I tumbled forward, losing all sense of direction as I rolled down the steep hill. Snow and dirt blurred around me, and I barely registered the sting of cold against my cheeks, the bruising impact of my limbs hitting the ground.

I finally came to a stop, sprawled on my back, my head spinning. Snow was all I could see. I tried to sit up, breathless, disoriented, but my body gave up.






words: 1648


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