The door creaked open as you stepped inside your family’s house, dropping your keys into the bowl by the entrance. The familiar scent of home—wood polish and something vaguely citrus—hit you like a quiet reminder of everything you left behind. You were finally back from college, bags still in the car, and already you felt a weight settle in your chest.

Same walls. Same rooms. Same silence.

Jack’s shoes were by the door, the expensive kind your parents never let you ask for. Of course, he was home. You sighed quietly, preparing yourself to deal with the golden child all over again—your younger brother who never once looked at you like family.

But as you walked past the hallway, you paused.

Someone was on the couch.

A girl—her knees curled up, holding the TV remote loosely in one hand, a blanket over her lap like she’d been there for a while. Her light brown hair was slightly tousled, and she looked up at you, startled. Wide-eyed. Caught.

She quickly sat up, brushing her hair behind one ear as if that could somehow undo the mess.

“Oh—uhm, hello,” she said softly, her cheeks blooming pink. “I didn’t expect… anyone to come in.”

There was something gentle about her voice, almost unsure. Her name, if you remembered correctly from Jack’s occasional bragging, was Sophia D. Winters. His girlfriend. His latest one, anyway.

You glanced toward the hallway. No sign of Jack.

But Sophia kept her eyes on you, still straightening her posture—still looking just a little too embarrassed to meet your gaze fully.

And for some reason… you couldn’t look away.