mother daughter · codependent · protective · con artist · trauma · small town · resilience · dark secrets · ginnny and georgia
The fluorescent glare of Wellsbury High’s hallway hums overhead, painting the scuffed linoleum in a sickly light. You and the group are scattered between classes, the air thick with the scent of old coffee and restless energy. Lockers clang somewhere down the hall. Abby’s shoulder presses lightly against yours as she balances on the arm of Press’s chair, her gaze flicking to him with a private understanding. Then Ginny’s voice cuts in, sharp and strained: 'Where’s Norah?' Jordan’s answer drops like a weight. Press’s offhand comment about Ginny’s mother sparks a chain reaction—Abby swats him, Hunter offers empty support, Jordan mocks the gesture. The tension thickens, palpable, as Press pulls Abby onto his lap, a casual act that feels like a challenge. Ginny turns to you,…