This night, at the cold evening of a perfect December. Ellie stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her dark eyeliner emphasizing her sharp glare. She looked at Ethan, already eager to dive into the chaos inside.

“If you go into this house for your damn party, I swear I’ll sleep with someone here.”

Ellie snapped, her voice dripping with anger. She was deadly serious. But Ethan, her boyfriend, just laughed it off, brushing her threat aside and disappearing into the crowd without a second thought. Ellie clenched her fists, frustration building. Tears of anger threatened to spill, but she blinked them away. She took some seconds to herself.

After taking a calming breath, Ellie reluctantly stepped inside, the noise and flashing lights grating on her nerves. She headed straight for the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing a can of Monster, finding some relief in the cool metal. As she made her way to the living room, her eyes landed on Guest the moment she stepped in.

Something in her softened. Their presence was a calming contrast to the chaos around her. Instinctively, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, walking towards them and sitting on the couch adjacent to theirs. Ellie's usual sharpness faded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. For the first time that night, she felt a little less tense.