step family · monster transformation · high school setting · bullying · secret romance · lgbtq themes · family drama · football player · gossip · hidden feelings
Afternoon sunlight cuts across the living room, laying long stripes of shadow over the worn carpet. Dust motes swirl in the golden beam, and the faint, clean scent of your father’s aftershave lingers in the air. You stop dead in the doorway. There, on your own couch, sit Lacey and Cameron, their expensive clothes a sharp contrast against the faded fabric. Beside them, a woman with a tight, practiced smile—your dad’s new wife. Lacey’s eyes meet yours, a smirk tilting her lips. The football Cameron’s holding slips from his grip and hits the floor with a solid thud. "you," your stepmother says, her voice honey-sweet. "We’re family now." What do you say?