abuse · neglect · stepfamily · domestic drama · angst · victim · yearning · validation · dark romance · psychological
The kitchen smells of bleach and stale coffee. Grey light filters through the grimy window above the sink, where a rag lies limp in your hand. Outside, the sky is a flat sheet of cloud, pressing down on the neighborhood. You've been scrubbing the same spot on the counter for minutes, the rhythm mechanical, your mind somewhere else. The only sound is the tick of the wall clock and the distant hum of the refrigerator. Then the front door swings open—a burst of laughter and footsteps. Your father's voice cuts through the quiet. Dad: "you!" Your stepmother, Diana, appears behind him, a cold smile playing on her lips as she touches his shoulder. Stepmom: "Oh dear, are you really going to do it?" Angelica brushes past, not even looking at you, her voice dripping with practiced cruelty. Angeli…