𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐀

40. Drowning in memories (and kisses)

enjoy this chap!

(that's an order) 😊

song: 'Kids' by MGMT

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After we got home, completely wired from our successful mission – which, by the way, involved much more murdering than anticipated – I tossed my coat to the floor, along with Azalea's, and stretched out like a cat, letting out an exaggerated groan.

"Pyjamas?" I asked Azalea, who was already halfway up the stairs and showed no signs of stopping for me.

"Obviously," she called back over her shoulder, like it wasn't even a question.

I shuffled after her, barely managing to kick off my shoes before I made it to my room. Azalea was already rummaging through my closet like it was her second home, which, to be fair, it practically was.

I grabbed an oversized hoodie, one large enough that it could double as a blanket if needed, and paired it with my fluffy SpongeBob pyjama pants—my personal go-to for ultimate comfort.

Azalea, always fashionable, threw on some small pyjama shorts and a hoodie she probably swiped from one of my brothers ages ago.

We flopped onto the bed, ready to sink into a Netflix coma, when the front door slammed open with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball. My two brothers, Luca and Ale, burst in with the kind of energy that said they were either here to make trouble or had just committed to some absolutely insane idea. Knowing them, it was probably both.

"Guess what?" Luca grinned, leaning against the door frame as Ale joins us on the bed, each wearing a grin that made me extremely worried for my safety.

"No pranks," I groaned, burying my face in the nearest pillow. "I don't want my hair to be a different colour, thankyou."

Ale shot me a mischievous grin. "Nope. Better. We're going on a road trip. Right now."

I peeked out from the pillow, one eyebrow raised. "To where, exactly?"

"The beach," Luca announced dramatically, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's the last warm night before winter. We've gotta make the most of it."

Azalea sat up, suddenly way too interested. "A beach trip? Now?"

"Yeah, why not?" Ale shrugged. "We chase the sunrise, maybe grab breakfast somewhere. It'll be epic."

Azalea looked at me, practically vibrating with excitement. "Are we doing this?"

I could already feel my resistance crumbling. I mean, how do you say no to a spontaneous beach trip at 5 a.m.?

That's right, you can't.

"We'll need snacks," I said, already mentally listing what we had in the pantry.

"And we're taking Pearl," Azalea added, which, of course, was non-negotiable.

Pearl, completely oblivious to our new plans, was currently chewing on one of Luca's stray shoes by the door.

"God, Luca, how hard is it to put away your shoes? You'll have holes in them all soon enough, courtesy of Pearl."

Pearl's ears perked up when she heard her name, and she wagged her tail. I stood up and scooped her up, and she immediately started trying to lick my face, which was adorable but also entirely unhelpful.

"Alright, alright," I said, laughing as Pearl's wiggling made it a challenge to hold onto her. "Give us ten minutes."

We all scattered, quickly changing out of our pyjamas and into something beach-appropriate. I pulled on a hoodie over a plain white swimsuit and packed a bag with snacks: chips, granola bars, candy—basically anything we could find that didn't require actual preparation.