College weeks passed in a blur of lectures, deadlines, and cheap coffee. By the time Friday rolled around, everyone was ready to breathe.

Zoe tossed her hair over her shoulder as she leaned on Amara’s desk.

“You’re coming tonight,” she declared. No excuses. My cousin Ryan’s throwing another one of his parties, you’ll love it.

Ryan? Amara blinked.

“Yeah, Ryan Stone. He’s in your Lit class, Tall, too confident for his own good?

“Oh,” Amara laughed, recognizing the name. That Ryan. He’s always late.

That’s him. Zoe grinned. Come on. He’s harmless. Mostly.

.......

The party was nothing like the small-town get-togethers Amara knew.

The house buzzed with flashing lights, laughter, and the kind of music that made the walls shake. Bottles clinked, someone was passing around something that definitely wasn’t a cigarette, and everyone looked like they were trying to forget something.

Amara stood there at first, awkward and unsure, clutching her drink. Then Zoe appeared with Ryan.

He smiled, that slow, easy kind of smile that made people trust him too quickly.

“You made it,” he said, like he’d been waiting for her.

Amara felt the heat rise to her cheeks. “Zoe dragged me.”

“Then I owe her a thank you.”

......

Across town, Elena sat cross-legged on her bed, laptop open and papers scattered everywhere. She typed half a paragraph, then sighed and picked up her phone.

No new messages.

Amara hadn’t texted her all day.

She scrolled through her photos instead, the two of them at the lake, at their high school graduation, all sunshine and smiles. Elena smiled softly. Amara was probably just busy.

---

By the next morning, Amara was buzzing with stories.

It was crazy, Elena. Everyone was dancing, and Ryan, oh my god, he’s actually funny when he’s not trying so hard!

Elena raised an eyebrow. Ryan Stone? That guy Zoe’s always complaining about?

He’s not that bad, Amara said with a small shrug. They’re just… fun to be around.

Elena wanted to ask more, about the smoke in Amara’s hair, the faint smell of alcohol on her jacket, but she stopped herself.

Amara was laughing. She looked happy.

And for now, that was enough.