Empty Rooms and Ocean Views

Daphne stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows of her parents' summer house, watching waves crash against the sandy shore below. Her fancy green dress felt too formal for a place where nobody would see her anyway.

"Three whole weeks," she muttered, flopping onto the cream-colored sofa. The house stretched endlessly around her—marble floors, vaulted ceilings, and rooms she hadn't even explored yet. Her parents had left that morning for their business trip to Europe, promising to call every day.

She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her friends' social media posts. Everyone was at summer camps or vacation spots with their families. Everyone except her.

The silence pressed against her ears. Even the ocean's constant murmur felt lonely.

Daphne stood up and wandered toward the kitchen, her footsteps echoing. Maybe she'd find something interesting in the pantry. The house was supposed to be fully stocked, though she'd barely looked around since arriving yesterday.

As she opened the pantry door, her green eyes widened in surprise.

The Discovery

Shelves upon shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, packed with snacks Daphne had never seen before. Colorful packages with strange names lined every inch of space. Glittering candies sparkled in glass jars. Cookies shaped like tiny animals grinned from transparent containers.

"What is all this?" Daphne whispered, reaching for a package labeled "Cloud Puffs" in swirling silver letters.

Her phone buzzed. A text from her friend Hera appeared: "Stuck at boring cousin's wedding. Save me!"

Daphne grinned and snapped a photo of the incredible pantry. Within seconds, her phone rang.

"No way that's real!" Hera's voice crackled through the speaker. "My mom's picking me up early. I'm coming over!"

Two hours later, Hera burst through the front door, her dark curls bouncing as she ran straight to the kitchen. The girls spent the afternoon sampling everything—crunchy "Star Bits" that popped on their tongues, chewy "Rainbow Ribbons" that changed flavors, and fizzy "Bubble Drops" that made them giggle uncontrollably.

By evening, both girls lay sprawled on Daphne's bed, clutching their stomachs and groaning happily.

"Best sleepover ever," Hera mumbled, already half asleep.

Daphne nodded, her eyelids heavy. Neither girl noticed the strange tingling sensation spreading through their bellies as they drifted off to sleep.