The Unwanted Guest

Chapter 10 - Fight Night

The morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, painting my room in soft golds and ambers. I rolled over, groggy and disoriented, still half-wrapped in the unsettling dream from the night before.

My body was heavy, like it was trying to keep me tethered to the bed, but the low rumble of voices downstairs told me I wouldn't be able to drift back to sleep.

As I stretched, the muffled argument from last night echoed in my mind. I'd never figured out what it was about. I had debated going downstairs to see what was happening but had convinced myself it was best to stay out of it.

Maybe it was just some stupid misunderstanding.

Pulling on a sweatshirt, I padded out of my room and down the creaky staircase. The tension hit me before I even stepped into the living room. The voices were louder now, sharp and heated, and definitely not the casual banter of friends.

"You invited yourself! Why would anyone want you here?" Andres' voice cut through the air like a blade.

The anger in his tone was unmistakable.

As I reached the bottom step, I hesitated. The whole group was gathered in the living room, but the atmosphere felt off.

No one was lounging comfortably or laughing over breakfast like the day before. Instead, the room felt charged, like everyone was waiting for something to explode.

I could see Jack standing off to the side, arms crossed, eyes downcast. His face was tight with a strange mix of frustration and hurt.

Lucia was by the kitchen counter, awkwardly sipping coffee, avoiding the tension by focusing intently on her mug. Malik, the one who had been so easygoing this entire trip, looked pissed as he squared up to Andres, ready to throw more verbal punches.

I walked in quietly, trying not to disturb the scene, but of course, I immediately caught their attention. Andres stopped mid-sentence, his eyes flickering to me before glancing away as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have.

Jack shifted uncomfortably, and Lucia shot me a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to sound casual, even though my stomach was twisting into knots.

Andres ran a hand through his hair, clearly exasperated.

"Nothing. Just talking about some stuff."

But the tension in the room was palpable.

It definitely wasn't nothing.

I glanced over at Jack, who still hadn't looked up. He was the one Andres had been yelling at. The awkward one who always seemed to ruin the mood. I could almost feel the heat radiating from his embarrassment.

"Yeah, talking," Jack mumbled, his voice low and bitter. "Talking about how I don't belong here. Again."

Lucia shot him a warning look, but Jack ignored it, his eyes finally meeting mine with a mixture of resentment and defeat.

I walked closer, feeling like I had stepped into the middle of something much bigger than just an argument about who belonged or didn't.

What happened?

What did I miss?

As I moved further into the room, I caught a whisper. Faint but clear enough to make me stop in my tracks.

"He's ruining the plans."

I blinked, looking around the room quickly, trying to pinpoint who had said it, but everyone seemed to be pretending like they hadn't heard it either.

"What plans?" I blurted out, unable to stop myself.

Malik turned his head sharply, eyes wide, like I had caught him off guard. His lips pressed together, but he quickly recovered with a forced laugh, too forced.

"Huh?" He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Oh, nothing, Y/N. Just the, uh... plans for this trip. You know, stuff we want to do while we're here."

But something about the way he said it didn't sit right with me. There was a strange edge to his voice, a nervousness that wasn't usually there.

Plans?

What kind of plans?

This was supposed to be a chill weekend with friends.

What kind of "plans" were they talking about?

I looked between them, searching for any hint that they were hiding something, but they all seemed to be avoiding my gaze.

Even Lucia, who usually had no trouble meeting my eyes, was staring into her coffee cup like it held the answers to the universe.

I swallowed, forcing a smile.

"Right. Sure. Just... trip plans."

Malik nodded, too quickly, and turned back to Andres, as if trying to put the conversation behind us.

"Let's just drop it, okay?" He muttered something else under his breath, but I couldn't catch it. Whatever tension had been between him and Jack was still there, though, simmering just beneath the surface.

I crossed my arms, leaning back against the wall as I tried to make sense of the situation.

They were all acting weird.

Last night, the argument. This morning, the whispers. The tension that had been building since we arrived seemed to be peaking.

Jack cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

"I'm just gonna head outside," he muttered, brushing past the others and heading for the front door. I watched him go, wondering if I should follow.

Maybe he just needs someone to talk to.

But I stayed rooted in place, unsure of what I'd even say.

Lucia finally looked up, catching my eye again, and I could see the uncertainty on her face. She gave me a small shrug as if to say,

Don't worry about it.

But how could I not?

I exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the creeping unease. Maybe I was overthinking everything. Maybe they really were just arguing over stupid stuff and I was getting worked up over nothing. But that voice—"He's ruining the plans"—echoed in my head, making it hard to brush off the doubt.

"Anyone hungry?" Malik asked, a forced grin on his face as he walked toward the kitchen. "I can make something quick."

Lucia followed him, clearly eager to get away from the tension.

"Yeah, I'll help. Let's get some breakfast going."

I lingered a moment longer, looking toward the door Jack had gone through. Part of me wanted to go after him, to make sure he was okay, but something held me back.

What if they're right?

What if Jack really is ruining the vibe?

Pushing that thought away, I forced myself to join the others in the kitchen, trying to fall into the routine of making breakfast. But the unsettling feeling didn't leave. It clung to me like a shadow, and no matter how much I tried to push it aside, it lingered.

Something is off.

I didn't know what, but I could feel it deep in my gut. And if I wasn't careful, I was going to find out exactly what that something was.