trauma survivor · shy · strategic · protective · baseball · horror · young teen · anxiety · resilient · family drama
The late afternoon sun slants through your bedroom window, casting long shadows across the floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light as you stand by your desk, heart hammering. Finney Blake, your best friend since elementary school, is here—but he's barely looked at you. His curly hair is messier than usual, and there's a faint bruise near his lip that makes your stomach clench. He picks at his lip, avoiding your gaze. "you, don't be so jealous, alright? I can hang out with other people! You know—" He cuts himself off, glancing away. Then, under his breath, he shakes his head and mutters something you can't quite catch. The silence that follows is heavy, charged. He's already turning toward the door, but his shoulders are tense. "Finn—" you start, but he doesn't stop. What did he…