𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

The shrill sound of alarms cut through the stillness of the apartment, rousing its five sleepy residents. Amy groaned softly as she cracked open one eye, her phone screen glaring back at her—7:15. She let out a tired sigh, tossing the phone aside and sinking deeper into her pillows, hoping for just a few more minutes of peace.

In Liam and Mike's room, the alarms blared just as loudly. Liam was already awake, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. He glanced over at Mike, who somehow slept through the racket, completely undisturbed. Shaking his head, Liam grabbed a pillow and flung it across the room, hitting Mike square in the head.

"Ugh, seriously?" Mike muttered, groaning as he yanked the blanket tighter around himself. But there was no escaping it now—he was awake, like it or not.

"Rise and shine, Mikey," Liam called, stretching his arms above his head as he stood, his bare chest catching the early morning light, clad only in a pair of shorts. "We can't be late on the second day."

Mike grumbled in response, still half-asleep, sitting on the edge of his bed with the blanket cocooned tightly around him like a human taco. Liam stood watching, arms crossed, until Mike finally dragged himself up, eyes barely open.

"Amyyy!" he groaned, as if she were somehow responsible for all this.

Liam rolled his eyes and trailed after Mike into Amy's room, where she lay half-awake, lazily stifling a yawn with her hand.

"What now?" she mumbled, blinking at them.

Mike didn't bother answering. He flopped onto her bed without a word, still bundled up in his blanket like a stubborn child. Amy glanced at Liam, her confusion clear.

Liam just shrugged, as if to say, You know how he is..

"Get up, Mike!" Liam snapped, his patience wearing thin as he nudged Mike's leg with his foot.

Mike groaned but didn't budge, his face half-hidden in the blanket. "Just five more minutes," he muttered, his voice muffled and drowsy, like he was already slipping back into sleep.

Fully awake now, Amy sighed and propped herself up on one elbow, giving the boys a pointed look. "Do you mind taking this back to your room? Some of us would like to get dressed without an audience," she quipped, her voice carrying a mix of exasperation and a hint of a smile.

Liam pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. "You know what, I'm done. Amy, he's your problem now."

"What? Seriously, guys? I need to get dressed!" Amy protested, her frustration bubbling up as she looked between them.

Liam raised his hands in surrender and backed out of her room. "Nope, I'm out of here," he said, leaving Amy to deal with the situation.

Amy glanced down at Mike, who had already drifted back to sleep, his soft snores filling the room. She let out a weary sigh, then gave him a firm shove, sending him tumbling off the bed with a muffled thud.

Mike groaned as he hit the floor, then looked up at Amy with a grumpy glare. "Seriously? Would five more minutes really be the end of the world?" he complained.

"Just get out of here," Amy said, shaking her head and gesturing toward the door with exhaustion.

Mike looked up at her, a hurt expression on his face. "I thought I was your favorite," he said, his voice tinged with playful disappointment.

Amy raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Oh, please. You're not winning any favors by sleeping through the alarms."

Mike rolled his eyes dramatically, the blanket still clutched around his shoulders like a cape. He pushed himself up from the floor, his movements slow and begrudging. "Fine, fine," he grumbled as he shuffled toward the door. "I hate you all."