𝑼𝑵𝑬𝑿𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑫 | 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡

𝐼𝑁 𝐴 𝑊𝑂𝑅𝐿𝐷 𝑂𝐹 𝑂𝑁𝐸'𝑆 𝑂𝑊𝑁

─────⊰ ✦.*🥀*.✦ ⊱─────

　　 𝐈'𝐌 𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 my sleep by the unholy screech of tires outside. The sound is sharp, grating—like claws dragging down glass, or a dozen cats shrieking at once. I groan, burying my head under the pillow, but it's useless. The noise tears through the night again, louder, longer.

I shove the blanket aside and drag myself out of bed, rubbing one eye as I pad barefoot to the window. Sure enough, a car is whipping up and down the street, its headlights cutting angry ribbons of light across the houses. Every time it turns, the wheels squeal like they're on the verge of ripping free.

I bet Adam, Bree, and Chase don't have to deal with this. They get their fancy soundproof capsules. Me? I get a wannabe street racer treating our neighborhood like it's the Indy 500.

The car screeches past again, rattling the windowpanes.

'Addilynn?' a fragile voice calls from down the hall.

My chest tightens. I hurry to my grandpa's room, easing his door open. He's already sitting up in bed, his gray hair sticking out at angles, his expression bleary with confusion.

'What on earth is that racket?' he asks, rubbing his temple like the sound physically hurts.

'Just some idiot with a car and no brain,' I tell him softly, stepping inside. His eyes crinkle at the corners, still kind even through his exhaustion. I pull the blanket higher over his chest. 'Don't worry, grandpa. I'll take care of it.'

He lets out a sigh, his shoulders relaxing a little. 'I don't know what I'd do without you, sweetheart.'

The words sting and soothe at the same time. I brush his hand once, reassuring, before slipping out quietly.

Back in my room, my phone buzzes—ding. I grab it, already guessing who it is.

'You can't sleep either huh?'

Chase.

Without thinking, I pull on a hoodie and head across the street to the Davenports' place. The lights are already on. Everyone's gathered in the living room—everyone but Tasha, who could probably sleep through a nuclear blast.

'Why does he have to race his car up and down the street every night?' Chase mutters, his voice warm and familiar even in his frustration.

'Oh, oh, I know the answer to that one!' Adam pipes up eagerly. 'Because he wants to cross the street.'

I step through the doorway just as Chase sighs. 'Wrong riddle, Adam.'

Adam shrieks at the sound of my voice and launches into Chase's arms. When he realizes it's me, he awkwardly climbs back down, pouting. 'Do you always have to sneak up on us like that?'

'Pretty much,' I tease, drifting closer to Chase. I meet his tired eyes. 'And yes—I can't sleep either.'

'Ugh,' Bree groans, her arms crossed like she's auditioning for Most Dramatic Sleeper. 'This neighbor has got to go.'

'He has no respect for my beauty rest,' Leo chimes in, throwing a hand over his face as if the thought alone might wrinkle him. 'It takes eight hours to look this good. Ten, if you want the Leo glow.'

I snort. 'If that face takes eight hours, maybe aim for twelve.'

Leo shoots me a wounded glare. I grin and duck behind Chase's shoulder like I'm using him as a shield.

'Don't worry, Addilynn. You could take Leo in a fight,' Chase says lightly, though his arm brushes mine for a second longer than it needs to.

Leo glares at him now, which just makes Chase smirk.