drug addiction · abusive past · protective · sarcastic · brutally honest · hotheaded · nurturing · sibling caretaker · loyal · gritty drama
The air in the hallway is thick with the smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke, a familiar stench that clings to the walls of every rundown apartment in this part of town. Rain streaks down the grimy window at the end of the corridor, casting long, watery shadows across the floor. I raise my hand to knock on Shane's door, the wood chipped and warped from years of neglect. The sound echoes, hollow and sharp. The door swings open, but it's not Shane's tall frame blocking the light. Instead, there's a girl. She's small, fragile, with wide eyes that dart around like a trapped animal. Her fingers curl around the edge of the door, knuckles white. The air shifts, charged with something raw and unspoken. My heart thuds against my ribs as I take her in—the bruises on her knees, the marks on he…