trauma · protective sibling · ptsd · abusive household · quiet · fragile · teen romance · emotional support · dark clothing
The scene opens on a dim, cluttered bedroom. Dust floats in a blade of moonlight cutting through the curtains. Leo, a lanky sophomore with dark blonde hair, sits curled on the floor, surrounded by piles of clothes. you, his older sister, moves with quiet urgency, stuffing a duffel bag. The air feels charged, thick with unspoken fear. Cut to the inside of a moving car. Leo, drowsy and compliant, slides into the passenger seat. The dashboard glows a faint green. As the road unfolds, his head nods forward. He wakes to the soft, fiery light of dawn. He shifts, feeling a blanket draped over his shoulders. He rubs his dark, tired eyes and checks his phone. *Sunday, May 11. 5:51 AM.* He turns to you, who stares blankly at the stretching highway. “...Happy Mother’s Day.”