A day in a house

She was worrying in her house alone again. Lately her condition had been worsening these past few days ever since her childhood friend had joined the same club as her.

At the beginning it felt like a heaven-sent to spend more time with that sliver of hope between the shadows that constantly plagued her mind. However, each time he spoke to one of the other girls she felt a heartache that would make her imagination wander through the darker terrain of her psyche.

It was specially bad the last day she attended the club, she just couldn't keep it together  ran back home early because she could not handle seeing him looking at them, seeking their attention instead of hers.

She later regretted that decision. The festival was next week after all. He would probably be forced to help with some of the tasks, and with her own presence out of the picture there was no way he wouldn't choose to meet up with any of the other girls to bake cupcakes or whatever Yuri was planning to do for the festival.

Amidst those thoughts Sunday came, and now it was too late to do anything. He would meet with another girl, and they would have fun, and then they would...

She shook her head trying to clear off her thoughts, but it was useless. No matter what she did it didn't help with her doubts and her already low self-esteem. It was hopeless, wasn't it?

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door of her house. The girl blamed herself for her weakness. It had to be him. He must still be worried since the other day when she left her house in a rush. God, she had been so stupid. She acted selfishly and this was her punishment, she thought.

The knocking sound continued. Sayori didn't feel like getting out of her room and open the house's front door, half-hoping that he would eventually tired and give up on her to meet whomever he had a date with. Yet the one at the other side of the door didn't stop.

Something felt weird about that situation. Normally he would have entered already by himself. Could it be that it was someone else? But who? Sayori didn't know.

Eventually, tired of those incessant knocks, she reluctantly got out of her room and begrudgingly opened the front door. What she found on the other side left her speechless

"Took you long enough!" A pink-haired girl protested.

"Still, I must say you live in a pretty nice house." A tall dark-haired girl protested

"Hey Sayori, how are you doing?" his childhood friend greeted her. "We all four came to visit!"

Three of his fellow club members were standing in front of her doorstep holding some plastic bags.

"Huh? What are you all doing here?" Sayori said, surprised.

"Well... You see..." her childhood friend started explained but got interrupted by the pink-haired girl

"The other day when we asked him what he wanted to help with, this doofus started going about how he wanted all of us to meet up together and make the preparations for the festival like a club instead of just being alone with... anyone."
"So there you have it" the boy looked a bit embarrassed. "I wanted to make it a surprise so I told all the girls to not say anything to you. So what do you say, you in this extra-curricular meeting?"

She definitely felt surprised.  But she could tell that the boy made this plan because he was worried about her. She didn't want to be a burden to him, so she of course turned down his invitation by saying:

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I could..."

"It's fine, Sayori."

The one who said that wasn't his childhood friend. Another person appeared from behind one of the walls outside the house's doorstep. It was the president of the literature club, who was now leaning forward with her brown hair waving on her back.

"I too, was shocked when I heard him propose this idea out of the blue. I never thought that even could be an option either. Yet, when I heard him say those words I thought that this could be fine. Breaking the notion of what was expected to happen he chose an unexpected option that would make all of us happy. I think that couldn't have been possible if it wasn't for him. Maybe, just maybe, what the future awaits for us really can be unexpected. So it's fine. And besides, don't you think this outcome could be fun?"

Sayori looked intently at that girl. Hers was the voice that made her suffer and yet... She was starting to feel a little warmer, like her life could also be bright and cheerful. She felt like wanting to cry for the first time in a long while. Instead, she wiped her tears and smiled.

"Geez, you should have told me sooner. You made me worry this weekend"

The other four were gently smiling back at her for a while until Natsuki finally broke the moment.

"Well, let's head inside already, shall we? My arms are getting" The girl unceremoniously entered through the door and left her bags in the kitchen, the other girls followed her example while saying things like "with permission" or "sorry for the intrusion".

"Wait what, we are meeting in MY house?" the surprises were piling up.

"I brought you snacks" said the boy apologetic as he pulled out a box of chocolate cookies of a brand that he knew she liked from one of the bags.

"Really, you all are..." Said Sayori closing the door behind her, heading towards a pleasant evening with her friends. The first of many to come.