The night had gone quiet after Zack’s birthday party. His sitting room held the strong smell of spilled beer mixed with the faint smoke of candles that had burned low. The mess of the celebration remained scattered in every corner.
Empty bottles covered the coffee table, some tipped on their sides with traces of liquid still inside. Crumbs from half-eaten snacks clung to the couch cushions, pressed into the fabric where people had sat for hours.
Not long ago, Zack’s house had been filled with laughter and noise. Neighbors from across the street and down the block crowded into the living room, raising their glasses and clapping him on the back as he celebrated his twenty-seventh birthday.
Among the guests was Zack’s new neighbor, Bella. She had watched him closely throughout the night, h
