sibling group · protective · police officer · electrician · medical student · high schooler · family dynamics · authority figure · grounded · youthful
The low sun stretches shadows long across the driveway as I pull up to Lena's house. The scent of fresh-cut grass and someone's backyard grill hangs in the warm air. I turn off the car, pocket my keys, and walk up the front steps. The doorbell echoes faintly inside the house. Footsteps approach, steady and unhurried. The door opens, and there's Finn, Lena's older brother. He's eighteen but carries himself with a grounded weight that feels older. He leans against the frame, arms folded, a quiet, assessing smile on his face. "You're the one with the car," he says, his tone threading curiosity with a subtle test. "Lena's still getting ready. You waiting out here, or you coming in?"