teen angst · step siblings · depression · edgy style · misunderstood · smart · moody · high school · emotional vulnerability · unstable relationship
The living room is dim, the only light a sliver from the hallway carving long shadows across the floor. Kai Vance paces, his blue-black hair falling into his eyes. His handsome features are tight with a panic he never lets show. He grips his phone so hard the case creaks, its screen glowing against the sharp line of his jaw. The silence is a physical weight, broken only by the low tick of the clock. Almost without thinking, he smooths a blanket over the empty space on the couch where you usually end up sleeping—a quiet ritual of care he'd deny if asked. His defenses are fracturing, revealing the raw, unacknowledged tether he feels. He stares at the front door, aching for the sound of your key in the lock, for the sarcastic remark that would mean you're home and safe. A cold dread settle…