19. friends

Saturday nights had a way of bringing everyone together, and tonight was no exception. Mandy had organized a casual get-together at her and Martins apartment-a mix of our usual group and a few people she knew through her YouTube channel, including Chase and Claire, two creators I'd only met in passing before.

"You ready for this?" Hamzah asked as we made our way up Mandy's stairs, a six-pack of cider in his hand. I smirked at him. "It's not a battlefield, Hamzah. It's just a hangout." He raised an eyebrow. "Bro, my friends are wack."

I laughed, shaking my head as I adjusted the strap of my tote bag. Inside were a few snacks I'd brought along, as well as my sketchpad-just in case inspiration struck. It was rare for me to go anywhere without it these days.

When we entered the apartment, the warmth of the place hit us immediately. The faint smell of popcorn lingered in the air, and the low hum of indie music played in the background. Martin was already on the couch, holding court as he explained some ridiculous gaming story to Chase, who looked both confused and entertained. Claire was in the kitchen with Mandy, mixing what appeared to be margaritas.

"Hey, you two!" Mandy called out when she spotted us. "Took you long enough. I was starting to think you'd bailed." "Traffic," Hamzah said smoothly, dropping the six-pack onto the counter. "You know how it is." "Uh-huh," Mandy said, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Well, you're here now, so grab a drink." Claire turned and offered us both a warm smile. "Hey, you must be Cora, I'm Claire." "Yeah, nice to meet you," I said, feeling the buzz of the room already lifting my mood. Hamzah grabbed two margaritas from the counter and handed one to me. "To surviving Mandy's antics," he said, raising his glass. I laughed. "Rude, Mandy's an angel."

We settled into the living room, where Martin was now challenging Chase to some obscure trivia game Mandy had pulled out. The rest of us watched, sipping our drinks and laughing as the questions grew more absurd.

"Alright, serious question," Mandy said, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her eye. "If you could only play one video game for the rest of your life, what would it be?" "Easy," Chase said. "Elden Ring. Nothing beats it." Claire snorted. "Are you kidding me? That game's way too stressful. I'd pick Stardew Valley any day." The room erupted into a mix of cheers and groans, everyone weighing in on their favorite picks.

"What about you, Cora?" Martin asked, his gaze landing on me. "You're a gamer by association, right? Thanks to Hamzah?" I raised an eyebrow. "I'll have you know I've played way too much Animal Crossing. That counts, right?" The group burst into laughter, and Hamzah grinned at me. "I think you mean you've decorated an island. Not exactly high stakes." "Hey, don't knock it," I said, nudging him with my elbow. "You're just mad because I have better design skills than you." "Oh, shots fired, mine is obviously the sims" Mandy said, raising her glass.

As the evening wore on, the conversation shifted from games to YouTube life. Chase and Claire shared stories about the behind-the-scenes chaos of filming, while Mandy chimed in with her own ridiculous anecdotes.

"You should see some of the outtakes from our last video," Claire said, laughing. "Chase tripped over twice and then blamed me for it." "I was distracted!" Chase protested. "By what?" Claire teased. "The air?"

The room was alive with laughter, and I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of contentment. These moments-when we were all together, just being ourselves-were rare and precious.

At some point, I pulled out my sketchpad, the energy of the room inspiring me. I started sketching loosely, capturing the lively scene in front of me. Hamzah noticed and leaned over.

"Let me see," he said, his voice low. I tilted the pad so he could look, and his face lit up. "That's so good. You've got Mandy's energy down perfectly." "Don't distract the artist," Claire teased, noticing our quiet exchange. "She's clearly capturing greatness." "Oh, for sure," Hamzah said, a playful grin on his face.

The night stretched on, and eventually, the group began to thin out. Claire and Chase said their goodbyes first, promising to share their latest videos in the group chat. Martin and Mandy stayed a little longer, but even they started winding down around midnight.

"You guys heading out too?" Mandy asked, stifling a yawn. "Yeah," Hamzah said, standing and stretching. "It's getting late."

I packed up my sketchpad, slipping it into my tote bag as we said our goodbyes. The walk back to our apartment was quiet, the streets bathed in the soft glow of streetlights.

"That was fun," I said, breaking the silence. "Yeah," Hamzah agreed, his hands tucked into his pockets. "I like seeing you with them. You fit right in." I glanced at him, the warmth in his voice sending a flutter through my chest. "Thanks. I guess moving to a new city, I will obviously need new friends, plus everyone at art school are snobs, those I've met so far."

We walked the rest of the way in easy silence, the kind that felt natural and right. By the time we reached the apartment, I was already thinking about how much I wanted to capture tonight in my next piece-a celebration of connection, of laughter, of all the things that made nights like this special.

And as Hamzah held the door open for me, his hand brushing mine in the process, I couldn't help but feel like we were building something just as special between us.