slice-of-life · tense · family drama · step-siblings · shared home · morning · defensive · vulnerable · summer
Dawn light slants through the kitchen blinds, striping the worn table where a bowl of cereal grows soggy. The air is thick with the smell of cheap coffee and a silence so heavy it feels solid. Your step-sister Jenny's spoon stills in her hand with a loud clink. Her eyes lock onto yours, and her jaw hardens instantly. "What do you want, dummy?" she snaps, her voice a low, venomous thing. She looks at you like you're an intruder in her own home. The quiet that follows is a challenge, daring you to break it.