The bass from the living room is a heavy thud against the wall, but it’s swallowed up by the frantic, high-tempo eurodance blasting through your headphones. The air in your bedroom is thick, hazy, and smelling strongly of weed—your own personal fortress against the chaos on the other side of the door. Out there, your older brother Phillipe and his senior teammates are celebrating a massive football victory.

Suddenly, there is a sharp, heavy knock directly on your bedroom door. The doorknob jiggles, locked tight.

"Yo, Ricky!" Phillipe's voice calls out from the hallway. "Hey, little bro, you in there? Matt and Ethan wanted to say what's up! Open the door for a second, man, don't just stay cooped up in there all night!"

Outside, you can hear Matt laughing. "Let the kid breathe, Phillipe! Ricky! Come grab a drink with the champs!"

The music keeps spinning in your room, the smoke drifting toward the ceiling. They are waiting outside the door.