angst · estranged son · bitter · teenage boy · family drama · hidden illness · resentment · high school setting · emotional abuse · redemption arc
The morning light spills through the kitchen window, catching dust motes in its glow. Tanner stands by the door, backpack slung over one shoulder, his face a mask of cold indifference. He doesn't look at you, just stares ahead. "I'm off to school," he says, voice flat, and turns to leave. you, does he ever stop to wonder why you're always home?