A black silk car rolled to a slow stop in front of the large house, its engine humming softly before shutting off.
The afternoon sun reflected against the polished surface as two girls stepped out onto the driveway.
Angel slammed the car door a little harder than necessary before adjusting the strap of her school bag over her shoulder. Miley climbed out more calmly, watching her friend with an amused look.
"Ugh," Angel groaned tiredly, rubbing her eyes. "I totally slept through Mr. Hampton's class. The entire thing. That has to be the definition of torture."
Miley shut the car door behind her. "Well, it was Mr. Hampton's class," she replied with a shrug. "His lectures could literally put people into comas."
Angel laughed softly.
"Honestly," Miley continued, "I saw you fighting for your life trying to stay awake."
Angel rolled her eyes dramatically as they walked toward the front entrance.
"I swear if he says the words historical significance one more time, I'm dropping out."
She pushed the front door open and stepped inside.
"I swear, if I have to sit through one more—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Miley nearly bumped into her back. "What? Why did you stop?"
Angel didn't answer.
She simply stared ahead into the living room.
"Angel?" Miley waved a hand in front of her face. "Hello? Earth to Angel."
Still no response.
Confused now, Miley followed Angel's line of sight.
The living room looked destroyed.
Empty bottles littered the floor while loud music still played faintly somewhere upstairs. A blonde girl was sprawled half-naked across the couch while another slept on the carpet hugging a throw pillow.
The entire room looked like a nightclub exploded overnight.
Angel blinked once.
Then twice.
"Oh my God..."
And then she screamed.
"MAX!"
Her voice echoed through the house.
A loud thud sounded upstairs followed by footsteps. Moments later, a tall boy appeared at the top of the staircase, lazily running a hand through his messy dark hair.
"What the hell, Angel?" Max groaned sleepily while walking downstairs.
Angel marched toward the couch and shoved the sleeping blonde girl aside, causing her to fall onto the floor with a dramatic yelp.
Max froze halfway down the stairs.
"Angel! What is wrong with you?!"
"What is SHE doing here?" Angel snapped, pointing accusingly at the confused girl now sitting on the floor.
Max rubbed his face tiredly.
"Why are you yelling this early in the morning?"
Angel gestured wildly around the room.
Only now did Miley notice the rest of the bodies scattered around the living room.
A guy was passed out in an armchair.
Two girls were sleeping near the fireplace.
Someone was snoring loudly beneath the dining table.
The place looked like the aftermath of a celebrity party.
Angel turned back toward her brother with narrowed eyes.
"How many girls did you hook up with last night?"
"None," Max answered casually as he stepped over an empty bottle and dropped onto the couch.
Angel stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you serious right now?"
Max leaned back comfortably. "Look, I had a party last night, okay?"
Angel's jaw dropped.
"You had a party?" she repeated slowly. "In this house?"
"Yeah? So?" Max muttered lazily.
Angel shoved another sleeping girl away from the couch before crossing her arms.
"This house belongs to both of us, idiot."
"Technically this floor is mine," Max corrected.
"And technically you're annoying."
"Fair."
Miley snorted loudly behind them.
Angel glared at Max. "Is that all you have to say?"
"Yep."
He had already pulled out his phone and was now scrolling through it completely unbothered.
Angel let out an offended gasp.
"I'll tell father!"
"Go ahead," Max replied calmly. "And I'll tell him you lied about sleeping over at Miley's house when you actually went to Jake's party."
Silence.
Angel and Miley froze instantly.
Miley blinked nervously. "How did you know that?"
Max smirked proudly.
"I saw you there."
Angel shot Miley a betrayed look.
"Wow," Miley whispered dramatically. "We're being stalked."
"Whatever," Angel huffed before grabbing Miley's arm. "Let's just go."
The two girls headed upstairs while Max laughed behind them.
The moment they entered Angel's bedroom, she threw her bag dramatically onto the bed.
"What a jerk," she muttered.
Miley sat cross-legged near the edge of the bed while opening a soda can from Angel's mini fridge.
"Why are you actually so mad?" she asked curiously.
Angel stopped pacing.
"Because," she groaned while throwing her hands into the air, "he's annoying."
"That's not enough reason to look this offended."
Angel sighed before dropping onto the chair near her vanity.
"Well... he gets to throw parties. I don't."
Miley took a sip of her drink. "Technically your parents never said he could throw one either."
Angel rolled her eyes.
"Oh please. We both know Nanny definitely covered for him."
She leaned back dramatically.
"It's not fair."
Miley shrugged. "Your parents already said you can throw parties when you turn sixteen."
Angel groaned louder.
"That's literally next month," Miley reminded her.
Angel waved dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
Miley nudged her shoulder lightly.
"Come on. Stop sulking. We could go out later. Maybe dinner and a movie."
Angel looked up slightly.
"I heard Calvin got movie tickets for Tuesday," Miley added casually.
Angel's head snapped toward her instantly.
Miley smirked.
"There she is."
Angel quickly grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at her.
"Shut up."
Miley burst into laughter.
Angel rolled her eyes before reaching for the notebook lying beside her bed absentmindedly.
Her fingers paused against the cover.
Without realizing it, she opened it.
Pages filled with sketches stared back at her.
Forests.
Strange glowing creatures.
A tall clock tower.
And green eyes.
Angel stared at the drawings quietly.
For some reason, the images from her dream still lingered in her mind.
The tower.
The woods.
The strange feeling of being watched.
A soft frown appeared on her face.
"You're doing it again," Miley suddenly said.
Angel blinked and looked up. "Doing what?"
"That weird zoning out thing."
Angel glanced back at the notebook.
For a second, she remembered the green-eyed boy standing inside the tower.
Quiet. Watching her. And strangely familiar.A weird feeling settled in her chest again.
Not fear. Curiosity.Like the dream meant something.
"Angel?"
She quickly shut the notebook.
"Hm?"
Miley narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Okay seriously... what's going on with you lately?"
"Nothing," Angel replied quickly.
But even as she said it...
She couldn't stop thinking about the dream.