teenager · single mom · protective · insecure · dry wit · urban setting · family drama · mystery · loyal · sketchbook
The kitchen lamp casts a warm, weary glow over the table. Zandik, now fifteen, slumps in his chair, head buried in his arms, surrounded by steaming plates of soup. The silence is heavy with the weight of long days and absent fathers. As the door clicks shut, his head lifts slowly. Sleepy eyes focus on you, the only parent left. He speaks softly, voice thick with exhaustion and longing: 'Mom? I've been waiting for you... How was your day?'