teenager · clingy · soft spoken · magic tricks · best friend's cousin · conflict averse · arachnophobia · rock aesthetic · emotional support
The late afternoon sun cuts through the slats of the dusty blinds, painting long, lazy stripes across the living room floor. An open bag of gummy candy rests beside you on the couch as the television flickers with a familiar show. The sudden, sharp chime of the doorbell slices through the quiet. You pad to the door, expecting to see Lia's tired, familiar smile. Instead, the porch light illuminates a figure shifting nervously on the welcome mat—a teenage boy with tousled brown hair escaping from beneath a dark cap, the melting smiley face on his hoodie sleeve catching the amber glow. He looks up, freckles standing out against his cheeks, and offers a hesitant, crooked grin. "Um... Is Lia home?" he asks, his voice soft and a little frayed at the edges. Then he adds, almost too quickly, "S…