The waves crashed against the shore, the sun descended as the group tried to stop themselves from laughing, to the point of their stomach hurting. Each one, holding a can of beer or an apple juice box, clutching their stomachs hard as they try not to spill. Aorohi, the girl who is currently trying to imitate the sound of a cow in a game made in a rush 'guess the animal by sound', thinking it will be fun—which it is now—and something new to the group.
Kia accidentally fell off the back of the car hard as she was sitting in the trunk, her ginger hair shaking violently as she laughed hysterically. Athel nearly spits his beer from his can, while Micheal patted his back, though he himself is laughing uncontrollably. Benji and Arta try their best not to let Martin lose and tackle Aorohi right then and there for imitating a damn cow.
As night fell and the group told scary stories, the amount of beer ran out, panic as they already are that the pick-up truck has no gas left, it was then decided that Athel and Sophia would walk to the nearest town and the rest of them stay behind and watch.
Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months turned to years. It has been 3 years since that very outing, 3 years and none of them knew how much things had changed.
"Seriously, do I have to remind you again that not all of us are going to college? I mean look at Athel! He's smoking weed and I work full-time at that shitty gas station! And Martin?! He doesn't even focus on his future! Thinking some chick would pick up his scrawny ass and be rich! So to answer your question earlier, Hillory. Not everyone is rich and perfect enough to go to college." The ginger-haired girl screamed, everyone remained still. It's been months since their group had done something fun, or at least something meaningful. Hillory, the raven-haired girl, could only remain silent, though her eyes speak of fury and a hint of sadness, knowing it might be the end for their friendship, to her and the group.
"Kia, I think that's enough, everyone is tired, last night was a mess and we need to calm down." Says the eldest of the group, Sophia, It was a found family, everyone knew the other like their siblings rather than an unrelated friend, no one is lesser than another—well, depending on the context—everyone, even Athel, could not lie that the recent months is foreign to them.
"I think the sleepover was not a good idea." Arta said softly, hiding behind her brother Benji who could only stare at the people in front of him, once friends now something foreign.
"Oh you think? NO shit! It was a horrible idea! Do you really think we all could just magically be friends like acting that nothing had changed?" Sophia said, snapping her head towards Arta— however, Benji's frame blocked her view.
"That's enough." Benji said calmly, looking at Sophia with no disdain nor fury.
"Yeah, what Benji said, that's enough, Sophia. Sure we aren't familiar with each other now, but we could calm down and talk things through. Please." Said Hillory, her hand reaching out for Sophia's. Yet all of a sudden, just as her hand was meeting Sophia's. The heated woman widens the distance between them.
"You planned this, didn't you? A sleepover thinking it'll solve whatever is wrong." Said Sophia.
"I thought...I thought—" Before Hillory could finish, Sophia cutted her off.
"You thought wrong." Said Sophia, her eyes wandering to all of her friends present. Then landing on Athel, it is no secret that he likes Hillory. The corner of her mouth twitching as if she wants to yell and accuse someone who she doesn't have a proof against.
"What the hell happened last night?" Martin whispered to Michael, who looked startled at the commotion.
"How am I supposed to know?" Michael replied.
