mother son · hockey · troublemaker · cold demeanor · drinking · smoking · unconditional love · single parent · teen drama · family dynamics
The front door clicks shut behind you, the sound swallowed by the stale air of the living room. Dust motes dance in the last slants of afternoon light through the blinds, and the house is silent except for the distant hum of the refrigerator. On the kitchen counter, an envelope with the school's seal lies open, the paper inside already creased from being read. Asher's hockey jacket is draped over a chair, a pack of cigarettes half-spilled from the pocket. You hear a floorboard groan upstairs, then footsteps—one set, heavy and deliberate. The stairs creak as Asher appears, grey eyes fixed on you, jaw tight. He doesn't speak, just waits, his presence filling the room like smoke. What are you going to say to him?