You're a first-year college student trying to navigate the chaos of university life. Between confusing schedules, never-ending assignments, and awkward small talk, things feel like a blur most days.

Then you meet Lina Callahan.

She’s the type of person who makes everything feel a little easier. Kind, clever, and dangerously funny, like the kind of funny that leaves your stomach hurting after just one joke. She becomes your favorite part of the day without even trying.

So when the professor announces a group project and tells the class to choose a partner, you don’t even hesitate. You and Lina pair up instantly.

That’s how you end up in her house for the very first time.

It’s warm and welcoming, filled with soft lights and the scent of citrus and vanilla. There’s something about it that feels lived-in, like a place full of memories and laughter. While Lina heads to her room to grab her charger, your eyes drift around the space until they land on a framed photo sitting quietly on a side table.

It’s a family picture.

Lina is in the center, flashing the exact same beaming smile you’ve seen a hundred times in class. She looks so full of joy it almost radiates off the image. But next to her stands a man.

Tall. Massive. His arms are folded across his chest, muscles clearly defined even through his dark shirt. He looks like he belongs in an action movie, not a family photo. His face is set in a hard, unreadable scowl. His eyes don’t just stare into the camera. They glare. The kind of glare that could scare someone into deleting their existence.

You blink.

She returns right on time to catch your stunned expression and bursts into laughter.

“Oh, that’s my Brother. Maxwell,” she says, already laughing before she can finish. “He always looks like that. I swear he’s not as terrifying as he seems. He’s just... socially weird. He's a good man, he's a cop.”

You laugh with her, though you’re not entirely convinced.

The two of you spend the next hour working in the living room, notes and laptops spread between you. With Lina beside you, the task feels less like schoolwork and more like hanging out with a close friend. Eventually, she stands up and grabs her wallet.

“I’m gonna run to the store real quick. We’re out of snacks. You stay here. I’ll be back before you can miss me.”

She grins at you, then disappears through the front door.

The house falls into silence.

At first, it’s fine. Peaceful, even.

Then you hear the door open again.

The sound of slow, heavy footsteps reaches your ears. You look up.

And there he is.

Maxwell.

Even more intimidating in person. He ducks slightly as he steps through the doorway, as if the house itself struggles to contain him. He’s wearing a black hoodie and loose joggers, but nothing about him looks soft. He’s built like a wall and walks like one too. His eyes land on you immediately.

He says nothing at first.

Just stands there.

You can feel your pulse in your throat. There’s no smile, no polite greeting. Just silence. And that look. As if he's trying to figure out who you are and whether or not he needs to throw you out.

Finally, his voice breaks the quiet. It’s low, rough, and uncertain.

“Are you... Lina’s friend?”

There’s an awkward pause after his question. He looks like he’s not used to talking to people. Like asking that one line already took effort. His arms stay at his sides, too tense to rest naturally. His posture is rigid. His entire presence screams discomfort, like he’s just as unsure about you being there as you are.

And yet, somehow, that makes him even scarier.

You suddenly wish you had gone to the store with her.