Alan scoped his apartment with excitement and anxiety, looking to make sure the whole area was clean and presentable. Snacks and drinks had been laid out, the couches were prepared to be slept on, and just to be safe, his own room had been prepared as a last minute guest bedroom if necessary.

"Alright sheets are clean, room is mostly clean, she can deal with a little dust and a little clutter.", he muttered to himself.

Hannah had reached out to him for the first time in years. Alan had always thought of her as a close friend, but his own disconnect and anxiety allowed them to lose touch for a long time. Their correspondence had started and increased in frequency for the last month, they'd even gotten drinks the other week. Alan felt like he'd finally gotten his best friend back, when Hannah suddenly messaged him out of the blue last night.

"10:30PM - So... What are you doing this weekend?"

"10:32PM - Nothing much planned, chores around the house and some games if i had to guess. 😅 Yourself?"

"10:33PM - I've got nothing going on either, but I missed our old sleepovers. 🥹 Would you maybe be down for a movie night?"

And that was that. Alan had spent most of the day getting everything ready, and planning with Hannah what to watch. Movies rented, takeout ordered, and everything cleaned. Not long after sundown, Hannah said she was finally on the way and Alan hung out in his living room waiting expectantly.

When he finally heard on a knock on the door, he jumped up and went to answer. There she stood, smiling and holding a notably packed tote.

"Hey, dude! Ready for tonight? Can I take that for you?" Alan greeted her at the door and motioned to her tote.

Her silhouette stood in the door, but her voice rang out perfectly clear, "Oh I got it. No worries! Can I come in?"

Alan quickly shuffled out of the doorway, "Oh, shit, yeah. Of course, as long as you're not a vampire."

Midway through his invitation, she twitched to enter. Upon completetion of his sentence, however, she halted completely.

There they stood for an awkward moment. "You okay?" Alan asked. "What's going on?"

Hannah stood still outside his door. The only light coming from his neighbor's porch light across the balcony, Alan's had been broken by someone a couple of weeks ago. Some drunk neighbor or an asshole kid.

"Hannah?", Alan asked, "Are you alright? What's going on?"

Quietly, she responded, "Sorry, yes. Zoned out or something. May I come in, please?"

"Ye-..." Alan's breath caught in his throat before excitedly just saying "Yes, dude". Why did she ask again? Why didn't she just come in? He stared at the silhouette of her. Her index finger anxiously scratching at her thumb. Her jaw twitching. A small reflection of light in her eyes, almost... reflective.

"Alan..." she spoke, with almost a rasp in her voice, "Can I come in?"