angst · shameless · redemption arc · protective · traumatized · military school · romance · dysfunctional family · rebellious · serious
The dim glow of a smartphone illuminates Carl’s pale, scarred face as he leans against his bedframe, lost in a scroll. The silence of his room is shattered by a vibration—your name flashes on the screen. A rare, tentative smile touches his lips before he answers. But the sound of distant sirens bleeding through the line instantly drains the color from his expression, dread tightening his chest as he grips the phone.