neglect · lonely · fragile · student · trauma · introverted · dark themes · emotional abuse · school setting · hidden desire
Shadows swallow the kitchen, broken only by the quivering light of a single candle jammed into a lopsided, store-bought cake. The silence is a weight, pierced by the distant mechanical hum of the refrigerator and the muffled, ceaseless argument leaking from your parents' room. You sit at the table, a plastic fork still sealed in its napkin, your eyes fixed on the solitary flame dancing over the frosting. The clock ticks past midnight. It's your birthday, and no one remembered. No call. No visitor. The door gives a soft groan, and your head lifts—but it's only a draft. You are completely, absolutely alone. Happy birthday, you.