Alex flopped onto his bed, tossing his phone beside him after scrolling through Instagram for the tenth time that hour.
College applications were due in three days, and he had barely started the essays. His room was a typical teenage disaster—gaming posters covering the walls, dirty laundry in piles, and empty energy drink cans scattered across his desk.
"Alex! Get your butt down here for dinner!" His mom's voice echoed up the stairs.
"Coming!" he yelled back, though he didn't move. His phone buzzed with a text from Jamie.
"Yo, you alive? Mike's party tonight. Sarah's gonna be there," the message read with a winky face emoji.
Alex grinned and texted back: "Dude, I'm drowning in college apps. My mom's gonna kill me if I don't figure out where I'm applying."
"Whatever, man. Live a little. We're only seniors once."
"Fine. Pick me up at 8?" Alex replied, already thinking about seeing Sarah. He'd had a crush on her since sophomore year but never had the guts to say anything.
His phone buzzed again: "That's my boy! See you then."
"ALEX! I'm not calling you again!" His dad's voice boomed through the house.
"Jesus, I'm coming!" Alex rolled off his bed and trudged downstairs to the kitchen, where his parents and little sister Zoe were already eating.
His mom raised an eyebrow. "Nice of you to join us. How are those applications coming?"
"They're... coming," he mumbled, piling spaghetti onto his plate.
Zoe snickered. "He's been in his room watching TikTok videos all day."
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
"Shut up, brat." Alex flicked a piece of garlic bread at her.
"Both of you, enough," their dad said, though he was fighting a smile. "Alex, seriously though, you need to get those applications done. Your future—"
"—depends on it. Yeah, I know, Dad. Can we talk about literally anything else?" Alex stabbed at his pasta.
His mom changed the subject. "How's Jamie doing? Haven't seen him around lately."
"He's good. Actually, he's picking me up for Mike's party tonight."
His parents exchanged a look. "It's a school night," his mom started.
"I'll be back by midnight, promise. I need a break from staring at these applications before my brain explodes."
After dinner, Alex spent an hour actually working on his applications before getting ready for the party. Jamie honked from the driveway at 8:15.
"Don't wait up!" Alex called to his parents as he headed out the door.
"Midnight, Alex! I mean it!" his mom yelled after him.
Jamie's beat-up Honda Civic was blasting rap music when Alex jumped in. "Ready to party, college boy?" Jamie asked, punching him in the arm.
"Hell yeah. Sarah's really gonna be there?"
"Yep. Looking hot as ever. Tonight's your chance, bro. Don't blow it like last time."
"Shut up," Alex laughed. "That was different. I was nervous."
"You're always nervous. Just talk to her like a normal human being."
The party was packed, red solo cups everywhere and bass thumping so hard it made the windows rattle. Alex spotted Sarah across the room and spent the next two hours working up the courage to approach her, only to find her making out with a lacrosse player when he finally did.
"Tough break," Jamie said, handing him another beer. "Plenty of fish and all that crap."
"Yeah, whatever." Alex checked his phone. "Shit, it's already 11:45. I gotta go or my mom's gonna freak."
"I'll drive you," Jamie offered, but Alex could tell he was too drunk.
"Nah, I'm good. It's only a few blocks. I could use the fresh air."
"You sure? Text me when you get home."
Alex headed out into the cool night air, his mind buzzing with alcohol and disappointment. He pulled out his earbuds and cranked up his music, not paying attention to the road as he crossed the street.
He never saw the car coming. The headlights suddenly flooded his vision, and he heard the screech of tires. There was a horrific impact, pain exploding everywhere for just a second, then nothing. His last conscious thought was about his unfinished college applications, of all things.
Then darkness.
