Morning sunlight spilled through the narrow gaps in Rody's curtains, an unwelcome visitor forcing him to acknowledge the day had begun. He groaned, rolling over, pulling his blanket further over his head. Seven more minutes wouldn't hurt.
The piercing sound of his alarm clock, however, had other plans.
With little choice but to face the inevitability of responsibility, he dragged himself out of bed, eyes still heavy with sleep. Another school day. Another series of predictable moments. The world spun on, indifferent to his reluctance.
At school, it was the usual routine—sidestepping teachers, tolerating lectures, waiting impatiently for the final bell to signal his freedom. AJ cracked jokes that made Pri roll her eyes, while JJ tried (and failed) to get away with skipping class unnoticed. Ray, ever the strategist, was already plotting their next football match.
By the time the final bell rang, Rody was more than ready to leave. Home was familiar, comfortable. He kicked off his shoes and booted up a game, immersing himself in pixels and competition. Time melted away in the glow of the screen until his phone buzzed, snapping him back to reality.
Ray:"Yo, get down here," Ray said. "Football. Now."
There wasn't really a choice—Ray's tone made sure of that.
Downstairs, the game unfolded in chaotic bursts of energy—laughter, shouts, the rhythmic pounding of feet against concrete. The cold air nipped at their faces, but none of them cared. This was their ritual, their domain.
As the match came to an end, exhaustion weighed on them, breaths heavy in the chilled air. Ray was the first to break the silence.
"So, any plans for New Year's tonight?" he asked.
Rody stretched, shaking off the fatigue. "Gonna hit up the building party, same as you guys."
The others chimed in, confirming their plans were the same. A shared tradition—celebrating together, ringing in the new year as a unit.
New Year's Eve: The Rooftop
Music thumped from the party below, laughter and celebration spilling into the halls. But the rooftop was where they truly belonged. Away from the crowded halls, away from the predictable expectations of celebration, they stood under the vast night sky, waiting.
A few minutes before midnight, JJ nudged Rody with a knowing smirk.
"So, you got anyone special you're planning to kiss when the clock hits twelve?"
Rody scoffed. "Yeah, sure. I got 'em lined up."
The sarcasm was effortless, but something in JJ's question lingered in his mind. Would he ever find someone like that? The thought was fleeting, yet unfamiliar—something he never truly wondered before.
He gazed up at the sky.
A wish—quiet, unspoken.
And then, as if answering his thoughts, a shooting star blazed across the horizon. A blink-and-you-miss-it moment, impossibly quick.
"I swear I just saw—"
Before Rody could finish, his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
The group fell silent as he hesitated, then answered.
A girl's voice—playful, amused.
"Where are you and your friends?"
His brows furrowed. "Who is this?"
A soft chuckle. She knew something he didn't.
"My name is Sam."
The moment froze.
And just like that—normal was over.