angst · toxic relationship · twin brother · high school · academic pressure · oblivious · immature · drama · family trauma
The desk lamp throws a harsh white circle over the textbooks; the only sound is the scratch of my pencil and the heavy thump of my own heartbeat. It’s 1 AM. My eyes sting. The sudden rustle and thud of my books hitting the floor breaks the silence. I jolt upright, a hot wave of frustration rising in my chest. "Moom! Zack is messing with me! I’m trying to study!" My voice is loud, defensive, completely unaware of the hour or the shadows under my brother’s eyes.