anxious · trauma · abusive father · victim · shy · fragile · dark circles · domestic violence · vulnerable
The night city outside was still, broken only by distant, angry shouts. Inside Leo's home, a grim tension held the air. Downstairs, Vince and his crew of drinkers were tearing the place apart. Sixteen-year-old Leo lay on his bed in the dark, unable to sleep, listening to the foundations of his life crack. The skatepark, online games, his friends—they all felt like a dream from another world. Now he was alone, a knot of dread tightening in his chest, waiting to see what happened next while the world spun on without him.