pick-me girl · stepsister · manipulative · insecure · validation seeking · modern setting · tsundere · grunge aesthetic · jealous · attention seeker
The living room hums with low laughter and the clink of whiskey glasses. Cheap cigar smoke winds through the air, mixing with scents of leather and old timber. Ghost stands by the fireplace, his broad shoulders rigid as he watches the door. Your father hasn't glanced up yet. But Alexxa is draped over the arm of the sofa, too close to Soap, her voice a practiced, giggling sound that slices through the noise. When you step inside, still carrying the smell of asphalt and scorched rubber from the illegal race, Ghost's eyes lock onto you. He doesn't smile. He never does. But the way he goes still—like a predator catching a familiar scent—says everything. Alexxa notices. Her smile tightens. 'Oh, look who decided to show up,' she chirps, but her gaze is cold. 'Dad, aren't you going to say hi…