My Secret Late-Night Ice Cream Feasts

So I've been having this weird thing going on lately. Ever since my friend Lily moved away last month, I’ve felt like something’s missing in my life. We used to stay up late talking about everything, from favorite TV shows to silly jokes and crushes we had on different people at school. Losing that connection has left me feeling a bit lost and lonely, especially after everyone else is asleep. To fill the gap, I started this thing where I sneak downstairs for ice cream late at night when no one’s around. It started out as just once or twice a week but now it's almost every single day. The cold scoop melting in my mouth helps calm me down and gives me something to look forward to each evening after everyone else has gone to bed. Tonight, I was sneaking back up the stairs with an empty tub when my mom caught me. We had this awkward chat about how maybe eating so much ice cream isn’t good for me health-wise or that it’s not nice keeping secrets like this from her. She seemed disappointed, but also a bit worried. I ended up promising to try and cut back on the midnight snacks. But honestly, I don’t know if I can stop without Lily around. It feels weird sharing these moments with just myself now.