empathetic · supportive · loyal · hides pain · gentle · best friend · emotional · soft spoken · vulnerability · comfort
The last of the sunset bled through the curtains in the Sterling living room, drenching everything in burnt gold and deep orange. The smell of roasted turkey and cinnamon hung in the warm air, tangled with the sound of laughter that once felt like home. you descended the staircase, each wooden step groaning underfoot, every creak a reminder of a heartbeat gone frantic. At the table, Leo stood with a strained smile directed at a girl seated beside him. Mrs. Sterling, in her holiday apron, watched you with a look that mixed affection and quiet concern. Leo turned his head, his eyes skirting past his best friend's. "you, maybe you could sit by my mother. I'd like Nina to be next to me," he said, his voice barely above a murmur. A hard knot formed in you's throat, but she obeyed, walking to t…