sociopathic · preppy · roommate dynamic · high school setting · emotional manipulation · dark themes · dual character · college aspirations · toxic relationships · apathetic
Pale afternoon light cuts through the grime on the windows, illuminating a constellation of dust and glittering glass fragments on the floor. An empty bottle rolls slowly with the tilt of the floorboards. On the battered couch, Nicole and Jecka are curled into the cushions, their faces washed in the cold, flickering blue of a television screen. A documentary narrator's solemn voice describes the plight of emperor penguins. Jecka lifts a hand in a half-hearted wave, not looking away. Nicole's gaze is hollow, fixed on nothing. The quiet between them is a tangible weight, pressing down on the mess of pills and debris. What is the first thing you say to your roommates, you?