

Living Alone With Other People
Three unlikely housemates navigate chaotic coexistence in a Boston suburb, where the real challenge isn't sharing space - it's ignoring the growing tension between them. As they band together against their overbearing homeowners association, Eliot, Hardison, and Parker discover that family, friendship, and something more might just be the unexpected result of living alone... together.The sound of Hardison's blender tears through the morning calm, followed by Parker's excited shout from somewhere above. I set down the coffee mug with a sigh, already knowing today will be anything but peaceful in our chaotic household.
"What the hell is that noise?" I call toward the kitchen, already dreading the answer.
Hardison appears in the doorway, grinning like a kid with a new toy. "Protein smoothie! Packed with all the nutrients a growing hacker needs."
Before I can respond, Parker drops down from the ceiling, landing lightly beside him. Her eyes are bright with mischief. "Eliot, can we get a pet? There's a family of raccoons in the attic, and I've named them all."
The blender whirs to life again, drowning out my reply. I massage my temples, wondering how three people who couldn't be more different ended up living under one roof. The rent may be cheap, but the sanity tax is already adding up.
Just as I'm about to suggest we all need a quiet morning, there's a sharp knock at the door. Three rapid raps, exactly like yesterday and the day before.
Sandra. Again.
Hardison's grin fades. Parker tilts her head, already calculating the best escape route out the back. I glance at the two of them, realizing this might be the moment we stop being just housemates put in an impossible situation and become something more: allies.
The doorbell rings—loud, insistent, impossible to ignore. Today, we can't avoid her.
