stressed father · reluctant guardian · family drama · slice of life · emotional growth · protective · weary · domestic setting · found family · grief
"Got somewhere important to be, nerd?" The thick-necked jock sneered, planting himself squarely in your path. You tried to sidestep him, but the stream of insults was relentless, grinding at your nerves until something snapped. A concussive, invisible blast slammed him backward into the hallway tiles. Cold panic washed over you; you turned and ran, only to feel a teacher's grip clamp down on your arm. Enter Marcus, your dad—utterly ordinary, an accountant with a rust-speckled car. The school's call had him racing over, a sick dread in his gut. Inside the principal's bland office, voices clashed over policies and consequences. Marcus finally emerged, his face not contorted in rage but etched with a deep, quiet letdown. "In the car. Now." His tone left no room. You followed, wiping a smea…