It was a lazy Saturday afternoon when Ethan trudged up the front porch steps of his best friend Mason’s house. His head throbbed slightly, the remnants of last night’s ill-advised experiment with vodka shots lingering. Though both boys were just sixteen, Ethan couldn’t help but grimace at the memory of how proud they’d been to steal the bottle from Mason’s older brother. Now, all he wanted was to flop down somewhere and do nothing.

Mason opened the door and smirked, his signature messy blonde hair sticking up in every direction. “You look like death, man,” he teased, slapping Ethan on the shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ethan muttered, stepping into the house. “Don’t rub it in. Let’s just chill.”

As they entered the dining room, Ethan noticed a girl sitting at the table, her head bent over a sheet of paper. Her hair, a sleek chestnut brown, fell in soft waves to her shoulders, and she wore jeans with names written with pen on it and a oversized vest. For a moment, Ethan thought she might be a sophomore from school. She was slender but carried herself with confidence, her hazel eyes focused intently on the page.

“Oh, hey,” Ethan said awkwardly, giving a small wave.

The girl looked up, revealing a delicate face and a faint smile. “Hey,” she replied, then went back to her work.

“That’s Emma, my little sister,” Mason said, rolling his eyes. “Don’t let her fool you—she’s only twelve.”

Ethan blinked, surprised. “Twelve? Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Mason said with a grin, leaning over her shoulder. “What’re you even doing? Doodling some cringey anime stuff?”

Emma scowled, pulling her drawing closer to her chest. “It’s not anime, idiot. It’s a comic I’m working on.”

Mason laughed mockingly, but Ethan stepped in. “Leave her alone, man. At least she’s doing something creative. Unlike us.”

Emma glanced at Ethan, her annoyed expression softening into a small but grateful smile. Mason shrugged and motioned for Ethan to follow him upstairs.

---

In Mason’s room, the two boys flopped onto the bed and gaming chair, staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment.

“So,” Mason said, breaking the silence, “what should we do? Watch something? Play some Call of Duty?”

Ethan groaned. “I don’t think I can handle first-person shooters right now. My head’s still spinning.”

“Lame.” Mason leaned back in his chair, spinning slowly in a circle. “We could raid the garage. Pretty sure there’s an old basketball somewhere.”

Ethan shrugged. “That works. I need fresh air anyway.”

“Alright, I’ll go check.” Mason stood and stretched. “Stay here. I’ll holler if I find it.”

As Mason left the room, Ethan leaned back, letting his eyes wander over the posters on the walls: bands, movies, a few basketball stars. He could hear Mason rummaging around downstairs, the occasional clatter of something hitting the ground. His mouth felt dry, so he decided to go down for a drink.

---

The kitchen was as chaotic as ever—half-empty snack bags, random dishes in the sink, and a pile of mail on the counter. Ethan opened one cabinet, then another, muttering to himself. “Where are the glasses in this house?”

Emma’s voice startled him. “Third cabinet on the left.”

He turned to see her leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed casually. Her hoodie was slightly oversized, but it couldn’t hide the way she was growing into herself—slender arms, long legs, her vest that was halfway open revealing her top and a confidence that seemed far older than twelve. For a split second, Ethan found himself flustered by how mature she seemed, but he shook it off just as quickly. She was Mason’s kid sister, after all.

“Oh. Thanks,” Ethan said, opening the right cabinet this time and pulling out a glass. He poured himself some water and leaned against the counter. “So, what are you drawing? That comic thing?”

Emma hesitated for a moment, then walked over to show him. The page was filled with vibrant characters in action poses, dynamic panels hinting at a larger story. Each figure seemed alive, their expressions and designs bursting with personality.

“Whoa,” Ethan said, genuinely impressed. “This is really good. Like, crazy good. You did all this?”

Emma nodded, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Yeah. I’ve been working on it for a while. It’s a story about a girl who gets stuck in a dream world and has to fight these monsters to get out.”

“That’s awesome,” Ethan said, leaning closer. “The detail on this guy—what is he, some kind of robot knight?”

“Yeah,” Emma said, her excitement bubbling through. “He’s like her mentor, but also kind of shady. I want people to question whether they can trust him.”

“That’s genius. This could totally be, like, a published comic.”

Emma laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t think I’m that good.”

“Seriously,” Ethan insisted. “This is next-level. You’re way more talented than me or your brother.”

Emma smirked. “Not that that’s a high bar.”

The two of them burst into laughter, and for the next few minutes, Ethan forgot all about his hangover. He asked her more about the comic, throwing out ideas and making ridiculous sound effects to act out the scenes she described. Emma laughed so hard at one point that she had to wipe tears from her eyes, and Ethan couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of admiration and amusement watching her light up like that.

---

The moment was interrupted by Mason’s voice booming from the hallway. “Found it!”

Emma quickly closed her sketchpad, and Ethan straightened up as Mason entered the kitchen, holding a slightly deflated basketball.

“What’s going on here?” Mason asked, his tone teasing as he looked between his friend and his sister. “Ethan, you trying to flirt with my sister or something?”

Ethan froze, his face flushing red. “What? No! I was just—”

“Relax, I’m kidding,” Mason said with a laugh, tossing the basketball in the air. “But seriously, don’t get any ideas.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Please. As if.”

But the comment lingered in Ethan’s mind longer than he wanted it to. He shook his head, trying to push the thought away. There was no way he’d ever think of Emma like that—she was Mason’s little sister, for crying out loud.

Still, as they walked out to the driveway, Ethan couldn’t help but recall the way her hazel eyes lit up when she talked about her story, or the way her laugh made his chest feel lighter. He sighed and told himself to let it go. She was just a kid. Nothing more.

He forced his focus back on the basketball in his hands, determined to clear his head. “Alright,” he said to Mason. “Let’s do this.”