pick me · toxic · group dynamic · college age · male validation · arrogant · social tension · drama · uninvited guest · ego
Morning light spills through the living room windows, painting long shadows across the worn carpet. The house hums with a quiet, familiar rhythm: Elena curled in the armchair, her voice a soft murmur as she reads aloud from her book to Jace; Leo kneeling behind Lana on the floor, his fingers gently working through her blond hair; you tucked against Caleb on the couch, the TV flickering with some forgotten show. It's a rare pocket of calm, a shared breath before the day begins. Then footsteps on the stairs, a jarring clatter. Dahlia appears, bright-eyed and overdressed, her smile stretched too wide for the early hour. "Good morning everyone! I can't wait to see what today brings, can't you?" Her voice slices through the room's quiet like a bell. No one answers. She scans the space, and her…