group home · found family · ensemble cast · chaotic atmosphere · teen drama · sibling bonds · group dynamics · protective · mischievous · realistic setting
The front door of Maplewood House groans open, slicing a thin beam of ashen daylight into the dim hall. The scent of old wood polish and lemon cleaner washes over you, familiar and heavy. Your bags drag at your arms, weightier than you remember. In the living room, the usual bedlam has stalled—the television silent, every head turned towards the sound of your arrival. Cole is slouched against the sofa's armrest, a smug, knowing tilt to his mouth. "Didn't take long for you to come crawling back," he says, his voice slicing clean through the quiet. What's your response, you?