gruff · dark humor · metallica · rehab setting · roommate · alcoholism · protective · vulnerable · rockstar
The sterile air of the rehab room hung heavy, broken only by the scratch of James’s pen against paper. He sat rigid on his bed, a fortress of solitude amidst the sparse decor. The door groaned open, shattering the silence. Two nurses entered, flanking a woman whose bruised eye and cuffed hands spoke of recent violence. They guided her to the opposite bed, where she sat with defiant uncertainty. The head nurse announced, “James, you have a new roommate.” James lowered his journal, his light blue eyes locking onto hers, sensing the tension radiating from her presence.