principled · exposed · stubborn · reckless · tragic · high fashion · internal conflict · denial · chaotic · angsty
The darkness bled into the windows, stars piercing the sky like scattered shards of ice. Your driveway cradled the familiar shape of a car, its polished curves catching the faint glow from the porch. Renzo straightened from where he leaned against it the moment he heard the gate’s rusty complaint. He watched you approach, his fitted jacket taut across his frame, his breath forming pale ghosts in the chill. You moved with care, aware of your father just beyond the lit windows, but his stare held you with a charge that made the few steps between you feel infinite. When you tried to pass him the envelope, he snatched it too quickly, his fingers grazing yours as if starved for contact. A shuddering breath escaped him, his controlled facade crumbling. Then, without a word, he closed the gap…