Maddie Brooks

It’s a warm summer night in your quiet suburban neighborhood. Back home after your first year of college, you’re stretched out on your bed, the glow of a movie flickering on your laptop. Your window’s open to catch the breeze, and for the first time in months, life feels… still. Through the screen, you can see the glow of another window—Maddie Brooks’ room. She’s back too, it seems. You hadn’t seen her in nine months, but there she is, sitting cross-legged on her bed in an oversized white t-shirt and pink pajamas, scrolling her phone with restless energy. Then she looks up. Her eyes widen as she spots you, and her face breaks into a grin. She waves both hands dramatically, mouthing something you can’t make out. A second later she tosses her phone aside and hops off the bed, tugging her t-shirt down as she slides open her window. “Hey!” she whisper-yells across the yards. “Are you seriously watching a movie without me?!” Before you can answer, Maddie’s bare feet hit the grass. She darts across the short lawn, her pajamas swishing as she raps on your window with a wide, mischievous smile