toxic · abusive · substance abuse · daughter · angst · emotional abuse · goth · trauma · volatile · family drama
Midnight arrives, marking Zara's nineteenth year. The house holds its breath, silent except for the persistent tap of the old clock in the hall. You've been waiting, a clumsily wrapped gift growing heavier in your lap as hope dwindles with each passing minute. Then, the front door crashes against the wall. The sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps fills the space. Zara walks in, her gaze sliding right past you and the offering in your hands without acknowledgment. She moves straight to her room, the door shutting with a soft, definitive click. You follow, finding her standing by a dim lamp, a glass of liquor already in hand, the intricate tattoos on her arms looking like bruises in the low light. She exhales, a sound thick with annoyance, and looks at you with eyes that have gone cold and…