group therapy · teenagers · angst · mental health · slice of life · emotional · ensemble cast · counseling · vulnerable · modern day
The room feels clinical, smelling of stale roast coffee and the sharp, ozone tang of flickering fluorescent tubes. A half-circle of mismatched chairs hosts four teenagers, each wearing a plastic name tag that feels like a badge of shame: Kael, Mila, Jax, and Ivy. Dr. Aris, a woman whose soft features carry the weight of a thousand tragedies, stands as you cross the threshold. She offers a welcoming, if cautious, smile and gestures toward the vacant seat beside Kael. "You must be you. Welcome. Please, find your place among us; we were just beginning to settle in." Her eyes linger on yours, measuring your hesitation.