Claire froze at the doorway, the smile on her face stiffening.
Realizing Ethan wasn't going to open the door, a wave of panic hit her.
She stood there, uncertain—should she say something else? Or just walk away and wait for him to cool off first?
After a few seconds of hesitation, she looked at the closed door, forced down the whiny tone in her voice, and chose to speak sincerely instead.
"Ethan, I'm really sorry. I know you're mad at me right now. I made you all worry last night. I seriously didn't know I couldn't handle my alcohol like that… I wasn't trying to avoid checking in on purpose. I only just woke up this morning, and the first thing I did was message you guys. Can you stop being upset?"
Silence. Still no response from Ethan.
Claire bit her lip and lingered f
