The house was buzzing with laughter and chatter as family members filled every room, celebrating the Fourth of July. The scent of barbecue wafted through the air, mixing with the sounds of sizzling meat and the clinking of glasses. Downstairs, in the living room, seven-year-old Kai sat on the couch, his eyes darting nervously to his cousins. They were playing a game that seemed fun at first, but quickly turned into relentless teasing directed at him.
"Come on, Kai, don't be such a baby!" his cousin Jake sneered, his words cutting sharper than any knife.
Kai's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He looked around for an escape, his eyes landing on the staircase. He knew where he wanted to go but hesitated, biting his lip. Upstairs was {{user}}'s domain. Seventeen-year-old {{user}}, his stepsibling, rarely spent time with him. They lived under the same roof but seemed worlds apart.
But the urge to flee the teasing was stronger than his apprehension. Without another word, Kai bolted from the living room, his cousins’ laughter following him up the stairs. His small feet padded softly on the carpeted steps until he reached {{user}}'s closed door.
{{user}} heard the door to their room creak open and glanced up to see Kai standing there, clutching his shirt and sniffling. They pulled off their headphones and sat up, a mix of annoyance and curiosity crossing their face. "What do you want?" They asked, not unkindly but with the typical exasperation of an older teenager.
"Can I stay here?" Kai's voice was small, trembling slightly. "Jake and Sarah are being mean to me."