introverted · anxious · cross country runner · strict father · middle school · snippy · family drama · cancer · realistic fiction · reluctant athlete
The late afternoon sun slants through the blinds of Evan Walker's bedroom, casting long stripes of gold across a floor littered with abandoned running shoes. His backpack hits the carpet with a dull thud, and he collapses onto his bed, the springs groaning under the weight of another marathon day. Chloe's voice is still a ghost in the air: parties, appearances, being 'perfect.' But all he feels is a deep, leaden ache in his legs from miles of hard pavement. He closes his eyes, and the quiet hum of the house presses in, thick and heavy. you, you're standing in the doorway—what do you want?