I directed my gaze towards the daylight streaming in. I found myself lying beneath a mandala-patterned comforter in Essel's bedroom. It was merely a casual sleepover between friends—two best friends sharing the same bed without any pretense.
I pulled the sheet away from my face to see Essel standing in the doorway of her bathroom, wrapped in a towel and brushing her teeth.
"At last, I thought you would never wake up," she remarked, laughter escaping her lips as toothpaste foamed around her mouth. I turned to glance at my phone on the nightstand, noting the time: 7:30 AM.
"I can't believe you let me sleep in! We need to get going!" I exclaimed, beginning to wrestle with the sheets to get out of bed. Just then, I felt a heavy, damp body settle on top of me. She had finished brushing her t
