I jolted awake to the ringing of my phone. Groggily, I glanced at the clock on my bedside table: 4:25 AM. I groaned softly, feeling a mix of confusion and annoyance as I reached for my phone.

"Hello?" I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep.

"Wren! Yooo, it's Jake!" came Jake's enthusiastic greeting, his voice startlingly loud.

I quickly pulled the phone away from my ear, wincing at the volume. "That's quite a morning call," I grumbled, rubbing my eyes.

"Turn on FaceTime," Jake instructed, his tone unwaveringly cheerful.

"Alright, but just a heads-up, I just woke up," I said with a small laugh, hitting the camera button to activate the video call.

Jake's face appeared on my screen, his smile as bright as ever despite the early hour. "Hey, good morning!"

"Hi..." I replied, squinting at the bright screen and trying to focus on his face.

"So, I never sleep, and I was bored," Jake said nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, I can. Goodnight," I said, attempting to hang up the phone on him.

"No, no! Don't hang up, please!" Jake's voice took on a pleading tone.

I sighed, knowing I wouldn't get any more sleep. "Alright, what's up? What do you want?"

"Well, like I said, I'm bored and had nothing to do, so I thought I'd call you. Maybe we could chat?" Jake suggested, a hopeful note in his voice.

"Want to meet up or something?" I asked with a small laugh, sitting up in bed.

"Sure! Just send me your address," Jake replied eagerly.

"No way!" I laughed. "Nora and I are planning to kidnap you, put a bag over your head, and make the location a complete mystery."

Jake laughed, a genuine, hearty sound that made me smile despite my tiredness. "That sounds like so much work, though."

"Fair point," I admitted with a chuckle. "I'm too tired and lazy for that."

I sent Jake my address, preparing to end the call. But just as I was about to hang up, Jake's eyes widened. "Are you in a dragon onesie?"

"Shut up, Jake," I laughed, "We all have our secrets."

After a quick exchange of goodbyes, I hung up and reluctantly got out of bed to go unlock the front door. I was too tired to change out of my cozy dragon onesie, so I just brushed my hair and shuffled over to the stairs. I told Jake to walk inside and come upstairs; my room was the first door to the left.

As I made my way down the stairs, I was reminded of the time I had tripped over my blanket and ended up tumbling down the stairs, resulting in a bloody nose and a sprained wrist. I had barely avoided another mishap this time, though my clumsiness remained ever-present.

I had just settled back into bed and closed my eyes when a knock echoed from my door.

"Come in!" I called out, my voice muffled by the pillow.

The door creaked open, and Jake stepped inside, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Hi, stranger." I mumbled through my tiredness

"Hi, birdie," Jake's smile widened

I responded, still half-asleep but amused."Did you just call me a bird?"

"Yes," he said, laughing softly. "Is that a problem?"

"A bird? Since when am I a bird?"

"Well, Wren is a bird, so now you're 'birdie,'" Jake said, chuckling. "You don't get a choice."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Alright, alright. But what's that you're holding?"

Jake's hands came into view, and I noticed a familiar bag. "Do you have Taco Bell?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do," Jake said with a grin, holding up the bag like a prize.

"Boy, give me that!" I laughed, reaching out eagerly.

Jake handed me the bag, and I gratefully accepted it, already savoring the thought of the warm, cheesy goodness inside. As I dug into the Taco Bell, I felt a renewed sense of energy and happiness despite the early hour. It was moments like these—unexpected and spontaneous—that made the best memories.

As we chatted and ate, the sleepy haze began to lift, replaced by a sense of contentment and camaraderie. Jake's visit, however impromptu, had turned a groggy morning into a pleasant and enjoyable start to the day.