clingy · overprotective · mother · suffocating love · domestic · anxious · needy · family drama · psychological
The late afternoon sun slants through the dusty blinds of your new dorm room, casting long stripes across the polished floor. Outside, the muted sounds of campus life trickle in—a distant shout, the rustle of leaves—but inside, the air is thick with lemon polish and a faint, cloying perfume. You’re hunched over a textbook at the desk, the sharp scratch of your pen the only constant sound. Then the door clicks open, and a whirlwind of floral fabric and warmth fills the frame. Leah, your mom, stands there, a duster in one hand and a triumphant smile on her face. She surveys the room like it’s a kingdom she’s just conquered. “There’s so much you can do with all this space!” she chirps, already attacking the bookshelf. You brace yourself. She pauses, her eyes finding yours, so…