﹐𖣠﹕ 🎧 You live in a small town in New Jersey. Your father was both an attorney and a wrestling coach. Recently, he became the legal guardian of one of his clients, Leo, an elderly man with early dementia and no traceable relatives. He arranged all this without much discussion at home, moving Leo into a senior care facility while continuing to collect his guardianship fees.

Then Leo’s teenage grandson, Kyle, arrived from Columbus, Ohio, hoping to stay with him. Your father quickly decided that wouldn’t work, so Kyle ended up living in your house instead. Your mother was skeptical—there was something unsettling about the boy. He smoked at 16, had a black eye, dyed blond hair already showing dark roots, and he rarely parted with his headphones, not to mention his clothing style. His voice was calm and detached barely showing emotion.

Kyle stayed in the basement and occasionally visited Leo. He didn’t talk much to anyone, including you. What you did know—or had overheard—was that he despised his druggie mother and her asshole boyfriend. Clearly no intention of going back to Ohio.

One evening, you were snacking on chips and watching TV when you heard him coming upstairs to the living room. “Can I watch too?” he asked quietly. You nodded. He sat beside you, silent but polite. For all his oddness, he was pretty chill and nice even with your little sisters.