𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃

28.

Landon

I woke up in the middle of the night, my throat dry and head buzzing slightly from all the noise earlier. I turned on the light, headed to the bathroom in the dark hallway. Afterward, I figured I'd grab something to drink before going back to sleep.

I stepped into the hallway, the cold air hitting my body, but I didn't really care. I was only wearing my boxers—didn't seem like a big deal since everyone was probably asleep anyway. When I walked into the kitchen, I stopped short.

To my surprise, someone was already standing there. Emily, or no—Elena. She was barely dressed, standing in front of the fridge like a deer caught in headlights. She had on these tiny pajama shorts, a tank top that didn't hide much, and the most ridiculous bunny slippers I'd ever seen.

Bunny slippers. Of all things, she's seriously standing there in bunny slippers with floppy ears, looking like she just rolled out of some kid's cartoon. I'm not sure whether to laugh or question what the hell is wrong with her. But then again, I'm the one standing here in nothing but my boxers, so who's really the idiot?

It wasn't like she had much on either.

I probably should've said something, maybe even gone back to grab a shirt, but I just stood there. She was staring at me, her eyes darting between me and the fridge, clearly trying to figure out how to handle this situation.

I stood there, arms crossed, watching her with a mix of disbelief and mild amusement. "Nice slippers," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did you lose a bet or something?"

She shot me a glare that could have melted ice. "Very funny, Landon."

"Honestly, I didn't think you were the type to dress like that." I took a step closer, eyeing her up and down. "But here we are."

The tension in the room felt thick, like we were both trying to navigate some unspoken territory. She rolled her eyes and turned away, rummaging through the fridge. "What do you want, a medal?"

I smirked. "Nah, I was just hoping you'd change out of those things. They're kind of terrifying."

She let out a frustrated huff, clearly not in the mood for my antics. "What are you even doing up, Landon? You realize most people are asleep, right?"

"Can't sleep." I shot back, leaning against the counter, trying to exude my usual nonchalance.

She paused, pouring herself a glass of water. "What, you're not having fun? I thought you liked being miserable?"

"Being miserable is my brand, thank you very much." I gestured around the dimly lit kitchen.

She raised an eyebrow, and I could see a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "Really? I'd never guess that from your sparkling personality."

I shrugged, not letting her get to me. "I'm just keeping it real. Someone has to do it. You're all too busy pretending this is a good time."

"Wow, such a downer," she said, shaking her head. "What's it going to take to make you smile, Landon?"

"Not sure I even remember how," I replied, a little more serious than I intended. "But it definitely won't be you prancing around in those bunny slippers."

"Touché." She smirked, and I realized I didn't completely hate the banter.

Her smirk suddenly turned into something very serious. I could feel she was about to say something.

I leaned against the counter, arms crossed tightly over my chest, trying to keep my guard up. "Listen, if you think this is some kind of bonding moment, you're sorely mistaken. I'm not here to share my feelings, and I definitely don't need a lecture about being a 'better person.'"