It was Friday evening.
The finals were officially over. The group piled into Grace's living room again — but this time, no books, no stress, just laughter, chaos, and snacks.
Dylan and Ethan were sprawled on the floor, stacking empty snack wrappers like a tiny pyramid.
David carefully balanced plates of cookies on the coffee table, making sure nothing fell.
Grace sat on the couch, Julian beside her, still holding her hand from the moment they arrived.
Zoey leaned back dramatically. "I've survived finals. I deserve dessert first."
Ella rolled her eyes, grabbing the last brownie. "Nope. I survived finals too. Hands off."
Julian laughed quietly, his eyes on Grace. "You were amazing this week. You kept everyone in line, even Dylan."
Grace shrugged, smiling. "Barely."
He squeezed her hand under the table. "You did more than barely."
The group started planning games to pass the evening:
Charades: Dylan and Ethan immediately teamed up, chaos guaranteed.
Pictionary: Grace and Julian vs. Zoey and Ella, with David as the judge.
Snack stealing contests: Totally unfair, but hilarious.
Grace laughed so hard she nearly fell off the couch during a ridiculous charade performed by Dylan — pretending to be a "sleep-deprived final exam student."
Zoey yelled, "That's literally all of us!"
Subtle drama alert:
Lily tried to sneak into the celebration, pretending to just "drop by to congratulate Grace."
But the squad noticed immediately:
Dylan whispered to Grace, "Do you see who's lurking?"
David stepped casually in her way, blocking her path.
Zoey and Ella exchanged glances.
Julian gave Grace a small protective nod.
Lily realized quickly she wasn't getting in without being noticed. She smiled, waved awkwardly, and left — defeated.
Grace laughed quietly. "Thanks… for everything."
Julian kissed her temple softly. "Always."
Post-game chaos:
By 8 PM, the living room looked like a battlefield:
Crumbs everywhere.
Empty soda cans lining the coffee table.
A few stray Pictionary drawings pinned to the fridge.
Everyone collapsed in piles of blankets, pillows, and laughter.
Dylan nudged Ethan. "We should do this every finals week."
Ethan smirked. "I'm down if snacks are mandatory."
Grace glanced at Julian. "Next year, I'm making sure you bring more snacks."
He pretended to groan. "That's unfair. I survived finals too, you know."
Zoey leaned into Ella. "We survived finals and managed to keep Grace alive. That counts as a major achievement."
Ella nodded. "Agreed."
As the group slowly drifted into quiet conversation and small games, Grace felt Julian brush her hand.
"Best finals ever?" he whispered.
Grace leaned her head against his shoulder. "Best celebration ever."
And in that moment:
The squad felt unstoppable.
Lily and Zara were powerless.
High school stress had been defeated… at least for now.
And Grace realized: she didn't just survive finals. She thrived, surrounded by people who cared fiercely for her.
The night ended with snacks, laughter, and whispers of plans for the next adventure — group trips, school festivals, and maybe even more chaos.
And Grace? She fell asleep that night with a smile, fully content.