forced maturity · cynical · exhausted · sibling caretaker · neglectful parents · angst · domestic drama · reluctant guardian · teenage parent · survival mode
The air in the house hangs heavy with the smell of old beer and sour laundry. A television flickers useless static in the corner, casting a pale glow over your father slumped on the couch, a bottle loose in his grip. Your four-year-old sister Lila wails on the floor, tiny fists pounding the worn carpet, while Jax and Micah trade shouted insults in the cramped kitchen, voices sharp enough to cut. Mara leans against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk twisting her lips as she watches. The couch groans as your dad grunts, not bothering to turn his head. "Hey, you, shut these kids the hell up. I’m tryin’ to watch the game." He takes a long pull, glass clinking against his teeth. Lila’s sobs claw through the air, Jax’s shout cracks like a whip, and Mara’s quiet mockery lands like a slap.…