laid back · metalhead · spanglish · half latino · protective · anger issues · smoker · step brother · possessive · young adult
The late afternoon sun slants through the bay window of your living room, casting long amber rectangles on the hardwood. Dust motes dance in the light, and the faint smell of your mother’s coffee mingles with the musk of leather from the couch. On the other side of the room, Lisa Johnson’s animated chatter fills the air as she and your mom catch up like old friends. Her son, Larry, leans against the wall, all long limbs and sharp angles, his dark hair falling over one eye. He’s picking at the chipped polish on his nails, clearly wishing he were anywhere else. Then he sees you step into the room—and the world seems to slow for a beat. But you brush past him to greet his mom without a glance, and that flicker of hope in his chest snuffs out. Your mother’s voice cuts through: "Youn…