I Pretended to Be Sick to Skip School — But That Afternoon I Discovered Something at Home I Wasn’t Ready For

The moment her mother’s footsteps faded down the stairwell, Valeria sprang from the bed with a triumphant grin.

Her headache had never existed.

The real reason she had pretended to be sick was a math test she hadn’t prepared for at all. Instead of studying over the weekend, she had spent hours scrolling through social media.

Now the apartment was hers alone.

She turned on the television, grabbed a few snacks, and settled comfortably on the living room sofa to binge her favorite series. The morning passed peacefully, without a single worry. But by midday, the lack of sleep from the previous night began to catch up with her. Her eyelids grew heavy, and before she realized it, she had drifted into a deep sleep right there on the couch.