The smell of pancakes filled Sophie's small apartment as she danced around the kitchen, the upbeat rhythm of her favorite playlist blasting through the speakers. Her day off was a rare treat, and she was determined to make the most of it.
Flipping a pancake with practiced ease, she slid it onto a plate stacked high with golden-brown perfection. Her kitchen counter was cluttered with ingredients—flour, eggs, and sugar—and she had no intention of cleaning up just yet. With a grin, she grabbed her spatula and used it as a makeshift microphone, singing loudly and terribly off-key.
She twirled in her socks across the tiled floor, pausing only when her phone vibrated on the counter. Grabbing it, she glanced at the screen and saw her brother's name flashing.
"Hey, Miles!" she chirped, putting the phone on speaker as she stirred a fresh batch of pancake batter.
"Soph," Miles greeted, his voice warm and familiar. "I figured you'd be home today. Still doing your lazy-day routine?"
"Excuse me, it's called self-care," she teased, laughing. "And no, I'm not lazy. I'm productive. I've already made pancakes, danced like a lunatic, and scared my neighbors with my singing."
"Sounds like a regular Tuesday," Miles joked. "What's the plan for the rest of the day?"
"Well, I was thinking maybe we could hang out. Go see a movie or something? It's been a while since we've had a sibling day."
There was a brief pause on the line before Miles sighed. "I'd love to, Soph, but I've got a few things to take care of first. Can we raincheck? I'll call you as soon as I'm free."
Sophie tried to mask her disappointment. "Yeah, no problem. Don't overwork yourself, okay?"
"Never do," he replied lightly. "Enjoy your pancakes and terrible singing."
"You're just jealous because I'm multitalented," she shot back, earning a chuckle from him before the call ended.
---
Miles stepped out of his apartment, pulling his jacket tighter against the cool evening breeze. His errands weren't particularly exciting, but they were necessary. First stop: the grocery store.
As he wandered through the aisles, he tossed a loaf of bread, some milk, and a few canned goods into his basket. He moved with the ease of someone used to shopping on autopilot, checking items off a mental list as he went.
The next stop was the computer repair shop, a small, slightly dingy place tucked between a laundromat and a café. The bell above the door jingled as he entered, and the tech behind the counter looked up with a tired smile.
"Back again, Miles?"
"Yeah, it's me," Miles said, setting his laptop on the counter. "Still can't figure out what's wrong with it. It keeps freezing on me."
The tech nodded, opening the laptop with practiced fingers. "Could be the RAM. I'll run a diagnostic and let you know."
"Thanks. No rush," Miles replied, leaning against the counter. "Well, some rush. I need it for work, but you know what I mean."
The tech chuckled. "Got it. Give me a couple of days."
"Days? I don't know if I can survive that long without my laptop."
"Then maybe you should look at this as a challenge. Find out how long you can last without using your computer."
"I'll challenge myself another time. I'll be coming to get it on Thursday."
"I'll need time to get the parts. It can't be that soon."
"I'll be here on Friday then. Knock yourself out."
The tech sighed sighed and shook his head and Miles saw himself out.
After leaving the shop, Miles headed home, the streets growing darker as the sun dipped below the horizon. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he fished it out to see a familiar name on the screen.
"Hey, Liam," he said, answering the call.
"Hey, man! You busy?"
"Not really. Just running some errands. What's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to grab a drink later. There's this new place downtown. I want us to look at how it is. I was planning on taking my girlfriend there later."
"Just go alone. Are you scared they'll do something weird there to you? You gotta stop watching horror movies."
"Going there alone will make me look like I'm lonely."
"But are you not?"
"Miles?"
"I've got some stuff to finish up first, but I'll let you know if I'll be available. When are you planning to go there?"
"Maybe Saturday."
"Saturday's my day off. Just go with Sam. He's always available when it comes to free food." Miles said.
"That's more reason why I can't go with him. He eats like he's been starving for years."
"Yeah, I've noticed that too."
"How's Alice by the way? You guys are still together right?"
Before Miles could answer, something hard and heavy struck him from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground. His phone slipped from his hand, skittering across the pavement.
"Hello? Miles?" Liam's voice crackled faintly from the phone. "Hey, you still there? Sensitive topic? Did you guys break up already? I knew it wouldn't last. I always knew she was bad news."
Miles groaned, his vision blurring as he tried to push himself up. Pain radiated through his body, and his head throbbed.
"Miles? What's going on? Is something wrong? If you're trying to play a prank on me, stop it. It's not funny." Liam's voice grew more frantic.
The world tilted around Miles as darkness crept in at the edges of his vision. He reached out weakly for his phone but couldn't quite grasp it.
The last thing he heard was Liam's voice fading away as everything gradually went black.