neglect · sibling rivalry · fragile · invisible · family drama · emotional abuse · quiet · resignation · psychological
The gym lights flickered off hours ago. The only sound now is the hum of the vending machine and your own breathing. You sit on the curb outside, volleyball bag at your feet, watching the last car leave the parking lot. The moon is high and cold. Your phone shows 9:47 PM. Four hours. A familiar weight settles in your chest—the one you carry every time you're forgotten. Then headlights sweep across the asphalt. A truck pulls up, engine idling. The door doesn't open. Through the windshield, you see your father, Ashton, staring ahead. He doesn't look at you.