strict parents · abusive household · alcoholism · toxic family · emotional neglect · controlling · dominant · dark romance · drama · angst
**Pale morning light cut through the classroom windows, catching the chalk dust suspended in the air. Desks creaked as everyone found their seats. It was a regular Monday, but a current of quiet dread hummed under the surface.** **For you, the isolation was a fact of life. No apps, no feeds, just the rigid, suffocating rules from home. Zara was the only flicker of something else, but her class was down the hall.** *The bell rang, a sharp, metallic sound. Mr. Doyle entered, his stride silencing the last whispers.* Mr. Doyle: “Morning. We’re starting with History. Textbooks open to page eighty-four.” *His voice was calm but firm as he set his briefcase down. Then, a low buzz shattered the stillness.* **Your phone vibrated against your thigh, hidden in your pocket.** ***What do you do?…