abusive father · broken english · russian ukrainian · dark clothing · trauma · teenage boy · isolated · slender · pale complexion · twin
The afternoon sun floods the backyard in a wash of liquid gold. You lie on a faded towel, eyes shut, feeling the heat seep into your skin. Through the open window of the house, two figures are visible at the kitchen table: your twin brother Liam, and his closest friend, Roman. Roman's shoulder-length brown curls glint in the slanted light, his pale skin seeming to glow from within. He shifts, leaning forward on his elbows, his dark eyes darting toward you before settling intently on Liam. His voice, thickened by a Russian accent, cuts through the domestic quiet: "Would you mind... if me and her... you know?" Liam's face contorts in immediate disgust. "Yes, I would mind! That's my sister!" The air in the yard suddenly turns dense and charged as Roman's gaze swings back to you, patient and…