Walking back into my childhood home feels strange. The house looks the same, but there's a tension in the air. My half-sister is there, busy with her own life, and my dad looks more tired than I remember.
My baby brother, now 9, is quiet and withdrawn. He's always been the center of attention in our family, and seeing him so unlike himself breaks my heart.
"What's going on?" I ask my dad, trying to keep my voice steady.
"He's been having trouble at school. Bullies," my dad explains, running a hand through his silver hair. "He's been shutting down."
I sit with my brother, trying to comfort him. He doesn't say much, but I can tell he's hurting. I wish I could protect him from everything, but I know I can't. All I can do is be there for him, in a way I never felt my family was there for me.
The days I spend at home are tense, filled with unresolved emotions. But I know that, despite everything, this is still my family, and I'm still tied to them in ways I can't fully explain.
YOU ARE READING
HEART'S IN THE SHADOWS
FantasiLila has always been the forgotten child, overshadowed by her parents' attention toward her half-siblings and younger brother. Despite her love and dedication, she is treated as little more than a servant in her own home-unseen, unheard, and unloved...
