5 Days

4 Days

When I woke up, a dull ache pounded behind my eyes, and my mom’s voice was already cutting through the air outside my bedroom. It wasn’t just her words—there was something sharper in her tone today, something that weighed on me before I’d even fully opened my eyes.

"Is that all you're going to do? Lie down all day?" she yelled, her voice booming as she threw open my door. "You're worthless! You can't get good grades, and you can't even do your chores!" She paced around, tidying my room as if trying to erase any trace of me. I stayed silent, pulling the covers tighter over my head. There was nothing I could say that wouldn’t make things worse. My silence, I thought, was the only way I could defend myself.

After what felt like an eternity, she slammed the door, leaving a suffocating stillness behind her. I lay there for a moment, listening to the echo of her words until the emptiness became too much to bear. With a deep sigh, I forced myself out of bed, dressed quickly, and left the house without breakfast or asking for lunch money.

As I walked, I pulled out my phone and texted Kian.

Me: Yo, let's hit up karaoke after school.

I just needed a break—anything to distract me from everything that had been happening at home. Maybe if I could forget it all for a few hours, things would feel lighter.

By the time I arrived at school, I was late. My heart pounded as I ran through the hallways, trying not to draw any more attention than necessary. The class had already started when I slipped into my seat next to Kian and Princess. I could feel my chest tightening, not just from the running but from everything weighing on my mind.

"Kian, did you get my message?" I whispered, leaning over.

He nodded without looking away from the front. "Yeah, man. I’m down. Hey, Princess, you in?"

Princess looked a little unsure. “I was supposed to hang with Rovic today, but… I’ll come. Whatever.” She shrugged, but something in her voice made me wonder if she wasn’t as okay with it as she was pretending.

The bell rang, and we practically ran out of school, heading straight for KaraPara Karaoke. Marylle met up with us and brought drinks, while Kian bought snacks from the convenience store next door. The plan was simple—get lost in the music, forget about the outside world, and not think about anything serious for a few hours.

For a while, that plan worked. We sang until our voices cracked, laughing at each other’s ridiculous song choices and attempts to hit notes none of us had any business trying to reach. It felt good, better than I expected.

Eventually, we settled down to play truth or dare. It was a tradition for us—a way to dig deeper into each other’s lives, even when we didn’t always want to.

Princess, who had been sipping her drink, grinned as she looked at Marylle. “Alright, Marylle, truth or dare?”

Marylle raised an eyebrow, her confidence unwavering. “Truth.”

Princess leaned forward with a mischievous smile. “Are you really sure about Sean?”

I felt my heart clench as the question lingered in the air. Marylle didn’t flinch. “Yes, of course,” she said firmly, and the knot in my chest loosened a little. It was reassuring—like she was anchoring me, reminding me I wasn’t as lost as I felt.

“Woooooh, you two are sizzling!” Kian cheered, making everyone laugh, but there was something else in the way he looked at us. I couldn’t quite place it, but it felt like he was thinking about something more serious than just teasing.