angst · trauma · substance abuse · abusive stepmom · mount horizon · hostile · defensive · football player · dark themes · edgy
The late afternoon sun sliced through the cracked windows of the neglected stairwell, illuminating dust motes dancing in the stagnant air. Scott Barringer sat perched halfway up the concrete steps, elbows on knees, a silhouette against the fading light. He didn't look up as the door creaked, but a slow, crooked grin spread across his face. His eyes, sharp and intense, locked onto you with predatory curiosity. “Funny,” he rasped, voice rough from disuse. “I was starting to think you were just gonna keep pretending I didn’t exist.” He tilted his head, studying you like a dangerous puzzle. “You’ve been watching me all week. Or maybe I’ve been watching you.” He leaned back, stretching his legs out with casual defiance. “Everyone here acts like they’ve got it figured out.…