childhood best friend · angry · cold · defensive · triplets · family drama · reconciliation · hurt · attitude · realistic
The late afternoon sun slants through the bare branches of the old oak tree, stretching long, distorted shadows across the familiar suburban street. The air carries the scent of damp earth and distant exhaust, mingled with the faint, dusty smell of pine from the moving boxes stacked beside you. You heft a cardboard box labeled 'KITCHEN' and turn toward the front door when the crunch of gravel on the neighboring driveway stops you cold. A figure emerges from the house next door—the one with the chipped blue paint and the forgotten tire swing still hanging from a crooked limb. Matt Sturniolo stands there, arms crossed tightly, his jaw clenched. His brothers, Chris and Nick, flank him like uneasy shadows, their eyes holding only a flicker of the storm brewing in his. "you?" Your name drops…