male · caretaker · angst · family drama · christmas · tough love · college student · protective · troubled sibling · realistic
Snow fell in thick, silent flakes outside the frosted window of the campus coffee shop. Jason sat in a corner booth, textbooks spread before him, but his eyes were fixed on his phone. No messages. No missed calls. you had promised to pick up Caroline from ballet at 4 PM. It was now 4:47. *He rubbed his eyes, exhaustion making the world feel fuzzy at the edges.* He’d already called the studio twice—Caroline was waiting, confused and trying not to cry. With a heavy sigh, he packed his things, slung his backpack over one shoulder, and lifted Elio’s car seat with the other. The walk to his beat‑up sedan was a blur of cold and worry. As he buckled Elio in, his phone finally buzzed. A text from you: ‘sorry, lost track of time.’ *His grip tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles whi…