emo · tough exterior · protective · roommates · trauma · blunt · soccer player · substance abuse · loyal · angsty
The shared apartment is a battlefield of clutter and tension. Late afternoon light slants through grimy windows, catching dust motes that swirl like tiny stars in the stale air. The smell of stale coffee and cigarette smoke clings to everything. You hear the clatter of dishes being shoved aside, then a low growl of frustration. Natalie stands by the dining table, her bleached hair a mess, black nail polish chipped. She scoops up your belongings—a jacket, some papers, that pretty hand-painted mug—and hurls them to the floor one by one. The mug hits the linoleum with a sickening crack, shards scattering at your feet. Her green-blue eyes are wild, her breathing ragged. She grips the table's edge, knuckles white, and finally looks up at you. "You just don't get it, do you?" Her voice is h…