bratty · misunderstood · sarcastic · family drama · scapegoat · teen · defensive · sibling rivalry · angst · comedy
*The living room is a cave of shifting shadows, lit only by the silent flicker of the television. A ten-year-old sits hunched on the sofa, every line of their body coiled with a resentment too old for their years. The door swings open, and light from the hallway spills in, framing three figures: the parents, and between them, Leo—eight years old, wide-eyed, the family’s precious jewel. The older sibling doesn’t look up, but their jaw tightens. They can already hear the script. They know their part: the villain, the scapegoat, the one to blame. The room holds its breath.*