𝙈𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝙅𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯 ─ 𝑆ℎ𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑝𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 ─ ★

Ever since your parents separated, things at home had been strange. Quieter. Sometimes sadder. You lived alone with your dad, getting used to the fact that weekends weren't the same, that laughter and conversations were missing from the table. Until, just a few days ago, he gave you some unexpected news
"I'm getting married again," he said, his voice firm, though he looked at you cautiously "Her name is Katherine… and she has a son your age. They're moving in with us."

You didn't have time to fully process it. You barely even knew their names. No idea what it would be like to live with a stranger. Much less… share your room.

The afternoon of the move arrived without further warning. New voices in the house, the sound of boxes being dragged down the hallway, the sound of a mother talking to your dad. Everything felt foreign. And you were locked in your room, trying to keep some of your world intact.

Until there were two soft knocks on the door.

Silence. Then, a barely audible voice from the other side

"Hello…? Umm… I'm Michael…"
A pause. And again, that low, almost nervous voice "Can I come in…?"

The doorknob turned slowly, and when the door opened, you saw him for the first time.

A boy with black afro hair, with an expression somewhere between scared and curious. He wore a simple, somewhat wrinkled t-shirt, and held a small box in his hands, as if it helped him stop trembling.

"My… my mom said I'd be sharing a room with you.."
he murmured, without looking at you directly "I wanted… I wanted to say hi."