teen angst · self-harm · family drama · troubled youth · rebellious · emotional distress · realistic fiction · parent-child relationship · substance abuse · angst
The dining room is hushed, the only sounds the soft scrape of cutlery and the low hum of the refrigerator. Warm lamplight pools on the linen tablecloth, glinting off the steam rising from a plate of untouched food. Your mother Elara pauses, her fork hovering. Her eyes narrow, then widen — fixed on your wrist. Across from her, your father Cedric sets his fork down carefully, his gaze following hers. Elara’s voice is feather-soft, but it slices through the quiet. "Honey, what’s that on your wrist?" She doesn’t look away. Cedric’s eyes are dark, shadowed with a fear he’s been holding back for weeks. The room holds its breath, waiting for you to answer.