003 | game night

Gianna Guiu's apartment buzzed with the kind of energy that only came from having too many competitive people crammed into one space. The smell of popcorn wafted through the air, mingling with the faint scent of the pizza boxes stacked on the kitchen counter. The coffee table was already cluttered with drinks, snacks, and a stack of board games, each one promising a night of chaos.

Gianna sat cross-legged on the floor, her Barcelona training hoodie draped over her shoulders as she fiddled with the controller for her TV. "Alright, is everyone here, or are we still waiting for someone?"

"Waiting for me?" Hector Fort's voice rang out as he stepped into the living room, carrying two bags of chips he'd grabbed on his way over. "Relax, Gigi, the life of the party has arrived."

Gianna rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Took you long enough. I was starting to think you bailed."

"Bail on free food and a chance to destroy you all at trivia? Never," Hector said, dropping onto the couch with a dramatic sigh.

Marc Guiu, already lounging in one of the armchairs, snorted. "You mean you're here to get destroyed. Remember last time? Cienna wiped the floor with you."

Cienna Bernal, sitting on the other end of the couch, grinned. "I can't help it if I'm a genius. Don't take it personally, Hector."

Hector leaned back, arms crossed. "This time, I'm coming prepared. I've been brushing up on my random facts."

"Right," Marc Bernal cut in, raising an eyebrow as he walked in from the kitchen, a soda in hand. "Because knowing the population of Antarctica is really going to help you."

Lamine Yamal, the youngest in the group, plopped onto the floor beside Gianna, already reaching for the popcorn. "Can we just play something where we don't all end up fighting? Last time, it got so heated I thought Gianna was going to throw a controller at Marc."

"That was his fault!" Gianna said, pointing at her brother. "He cheated at Monopoly!"

"I didn't cheat," Marc Guiu protested, though his smirk said otherwise. "You're just a sore loser."

"I don't lose," Gianna shot back. "You cheated."

"Alright, alright," Cienna said, raising her hands. "Let's not start the drama before we even pick a game." She glanced at Gianna. "What's the lineup for tonight?"

Gianna leaned over and grabbed the stack of games. "We've got trivia, Uno, and Mario Kart. So, basically, guaranteed chaos no matter what we pick."

"Mario Kart," Hector said immediately. "I need redemption after last time."

Marc Bernal laughed. "You mean when Cienna lapped you twice?"

Hector glared at him. "I was having an off day, alright? Tonight, it's different."

Gianna shook her head, laughing. "Fine, Mario Kart it is. But don't cry when I leave you in the dust."

"You're all talk, Gigi," Hector teased, grabbing a controller. "Let's see if you can back it up."

The group settled in, the competitive banter flying back and forth as they booted up the game. It didn't take long for the living room to erupt in chaos—Cienna and Marc Bernal were neck-and-neck in first place, Lamine was yelling at the screen as he got hit with a blue shell, and Gianna was doing her best to overtake Hector, who was somehow holding onto third place.

"You're blocking me on purpose!" Gianna accused, leaning toward Hector as if that would help her maneuver her kart past his.

"It's called strategy," Hector said, smirking. "Maybe try it sometime."

"Strategy my ass," she muttered, determined to catch him.

In the end, Marc Guiu took first place, much to everyone's annoyance. "What can I say?" he said, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. "Natural talent."

"You're unbearable," Gianna muttered, tossing a pillow at him.

As the night wore on, the games switched from Mario Kart to Uno, and the competitiveness only intensified. Hector kept stacking +2 and +4 cards on Cienna, who retaliated with a glare so sharp it could cut glass. Lamine ended up with half the deck in his hand, while Marc Bernal somehow managed to stay under the radar and win two games in a row.

By the time the clock ticked past midnight, the group had transitioned into a more relaxed mood. The pizza was long gone, and most of the drinks had been finished off.

Gianna leaned back against the couch, her legs stretched out on the floor as she watched her friends argue over the rules of a card game. This was her favorite kind of night—the ones where they all came together, no stress, no expectations, just laughter and the kind of camaraderie that only came from years of shared memories.

Hector, sitting beside her, nudged her shoulder lightly. "Hey, Gigi."

She turned to look at him, her face still flushed from laughing. "Yeah?"

"This was a good idea," he said softly, his usual teasing tone replaced with something more genuine. "Thanks for putting it together."

Gianna smiled, leaning her head back against the couch. "Anytime, Hector. You guys make it worth it."

As the night wound down and the group began to disperse, Gianna found herself standing at the door, watching as everyone said their goodbyes. Hector was the last to leave, lingering in the doorway with that familiar grin.

"Same time next week?" he asked.

Gianna laughed. "We'll see. Depends on how mad everyone is about tonight."

Hector chuckled, leaning in to give her a quick hug. "Night, Gigi. Don't let Marc cheat you out of anything else."

"I won't," she promised, watching as he walked down the hallway.

Closing the door behind him, Gianna let out a content sigh. Game nights like this reminded her of how lucky she was—to have her brother, her friends, and most importantly, the bond they all shared.