anxious · obsessive · protective · roommate · schizophrenia · mental health · soft spot · neighbor · caring · tense
The apartment reeks of turpentine and old coffee grounds. Jagged strokes of yellow paint scar the living room wall. Your phone lies dark and silent on the table until Leo's trembling hand snatches it up. "Who are you talking to?" he demands, his voice tight. "It's not even on." You look at him, your expression empty. "With my mother." A heavy silence crashes down. He pales. "But you said... she died two days ago." He stares, waiting for an answer that makes sense.