Empty House Freedom

Rayni bounced on her toes as she watched her parents' car disappear down the driveway. The big house felt different already—quieter, but full of possibilities.

"They're gone!" she called to her best friend Maya, who was sprawling across the living room couch with her phone.

Maya looked up with bright brown eyes. "Finally! So what's the plan for tonight?"

Rayni grinned and flopped down beside her. "I'm thinking the ultimate sleepover. We have the whole house to ourselves until tomorrow afternoon."

"Ultimate how?" Maya sat up, her curly black hair bouncing.

"Epic snacks, staying up all night, maybe exploring the attic—" Rayni's stomach rumbled loudly. "But first, I'm starving. Mom left money for pizza, but..."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "But what?"

"But there's so much good stuff in the kitchen. Ice cream, cookies, chips—everything Mom usually rations out."

Maya's eyes lit up with mischief. "So we make our own feast?"

The Sweet Surrender

Rayni jumped up and headed straight for the kitchen, Maya close behind. The marble countertops gleamed under the bright lights, and the pantry doors beckoned like treasure chests.

"Look at all this!" Rayni pulled open the first cabinet. Bags of chips lined the shelves—barbecue, sour cream, cheese puffs. The next cabinet revealed cookies, crackers, and candy bars.

Maya opened the freezer. "Three different ice cream flavors! And look—frozen pizza rolls, ice cream sandwiches, popsicles."

They started small. A bowl of chips here, some cookies there. But soon they were sprawled on the kitchen floor, surrounded by empty packages and half-finished containers.

"My stomach feels weird," Maya said, rubbing her belly. She'd changed from her regular jeans into loose pajama pants.

Rayni looked down at her own outfit. Her sporty shorts felt uncomfortably tight around her waist. "Mine too. Maybe we should slow down."

But then Maya spotted the chocolate cake on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

"One more thing?" she asked with a grin.

Rayni's resolve crumbled. "Just a slice."