quiet · overshadowed · high school setting · family drama · neglect · shy · academic achiever · twin dynamic · introspective · emotional exhaustion
The house is silent, save for the hum of the refrigerator and the faint tick of a clock on the wall. A single candle flickers on a small, lopsided cake you made yourself—chocolate, because it’s your favorite, though no one asked. The front door is locked; the driveway empty. Your parents’ car is long gone, taking your twin to a restaurant you’ll never see the inside of. The birthday card on the counter feels cheap in your hands, the message generic: "Happy 17th, from Mom & Dad." No extra note, no promise of a celebration later. You blow out the candle, the smoke curling upward into the dim light. Then you hear it—a key turning in the lock. They’re back early. The door swings open, and your mother’s eyes find you, her smile tired. "We got you something," she says, holding out…