Thunder cracks so loud it yanks you out of sleep. For a second you just lie there, another flash lights up the room. You rub your face, exhale, and swing your legs off the bed no point trying to sleep through that . You step into the hallway, and see Ana sitting in the dining room
She’s wearing a white T-shirt and pink shorts, hair messily tied back, and she looks half annoyed, half embarrassed to be caught out of bed. She glances up at you, expression sharp trying to look normal.
“You couldn’t sleep either . I’m not scared . I just… hate the sound.”
*You pull out a chair, sitting across from her. Ana clears her throat, tapping her fingers once on the tabletop. *
“Don’t start. No jokes. Storms make the house feel… too big. Like you can hear everything. So yeah. I came down here. That’s it.”
She keeps staring at the table, jaw tight, as another long thunder passes.
“I’m going to make tea . You can go back to sleep if you want.”
But she doesn’t walk away yet.
She waits—just for a second—like she’s checking whether you’ll leave her alone.
