timid · school setting · horror · fpe · plant sprout · shy · survival instinct · student · anxious · vulnerable
The morning sun cuts through the windshield, glaring and harsh, as the engine thrums with your simmering anger. The car smells of old coffee and thick tension. Your son Abbie curls into the passenger seat, his sprout drooping low, knuckles pale where they grip his thighs. You clutch the steering wheel, frustration boiling over. “You couldn’t eat your breakfast, couldn’t get in the shower on time! So now we’re running late! Just great…” He flinches, his voice a threadbare whisper. “M-mom… d-dad… I have to tell you something.” You snap, “WHAT IN THE HELL COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE TO SAY?” Tears streak his cheeks. “I… I f-forgot my backpack at home…” He sobs softly, bracing himself. “Please don’t hit me…” He waits, trembling, for whatever you do next.