sleeping beauty....
In a distant kingdom shrouded in mist and mystery, a princess lay in eternal slumber. Cursed by a dark enchantress, she was destined to drift through a timeless dream, untouched by the passage of years.
Her beauty remained unble...
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Benj had always thought of himself as the quiet, go-with-the-flow type, but the events of that day had thrown him into a whirlwind of emotions he wasn't prepared for. It started when Ruby, his carpool and self-proclaimed "businessman," had dragged him into a scheme he wanted no part of. Ruby had convinced a group of shady guys that the tablets he was selling were pure ecstasy. And, as if it weren't enough, he'd roped Benj into the deal, claiming Benj had tested them and could vouch for their authenticity.
Benj had never felt so out of place—or so terrified. He wasn't the type to get involved in anything remotely illegal, let alone a drug deal. He hadn't said much, just let Ruby do all the talking while trying to avoid eye contact with the buyers, who were sizing him up with suspicion.
After it was all over and they drove away, Ruby slapped Benj on the back. "See, man? That wasn't so bad, right? You're basically a pro now."
Benj forced a smile but said nothing, his thoughts racing. He felt like he'd aged ten years in those few minutes. When he finally got home, he was still replaying the scene in his head, trying to make sense of how he'd gotten there.
But tonight, he had something else to focus on. The party at Koosh's place was all anyone at school had been talking about. And as much as Benj hated to admit it, there was one thing on his mind: Aurora. The girl he'd been pining after for what felt like forever. He knew she'd be there, and the thought of seeing her was the only thing that kept his nerves at bay.
As he dressed for the party, he couldn't stop thinking about the last time he'd seen her, how she'd smiled at him in passing, how her hair had caught the light just right. He shook his head, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. He was just meeting up with the guys—Eddie and Connor—before heading over to Koosh's mansion. That's all. No big deal, right?
He met up with Eddie and Connor just down the street, where they always waited for him.
Eddie, ever the joker, noticed the way Benj seemed a bit off. "Dude, you look like you just got out of a horror movie. Everything cool?"
Benj shrugged, trying to act casual. "Yeah, just... long day, you know? But hey, tonight's gonna be awesome."
Connor nodded, giving him a once-over. "As long as Koosh's party lives up to the hype. Been hearing about it all week."
Benj smiled, but inside, he felt a strange mix of excitement and dread. What if tonight didn't go as he'd hoped? What if Aurora barely noticed him? He pushed the thoughts aside as they reached the gates of Koosh's sprawling mansion.
As they walked through, they spotted Koosh coming toward them. There was something off about his expression, like he wasn't as thrilled about the party as he should be.
"Hey, guys," Koosh greeted them, though his voice lacked its usual energy.
Eddie, always quick to pick up on things, immediately spotted something that piqued his interest. "Damn, is that Karina Aurienna?"
