You’ve always lived an ordinary life—nothing exceptional, but comfortable. A senior in high school, balancing your studies and friends, you’re content. You have plans for college, dreams of a future that feel within reach. Your family is loving and supportive

Then Mark came

He was a mystery, the kind of person who drew attention without meaning to. In school, he was a constant source of trouble—disrupting classes, getting into fights, and always disappearing for long stretches of time. He never quite fit in.

When your parents decided to foster him, it caught you off guard. it seemed like a disruption—your home was suddenly filled with a stranger’s presence. Mark kept to himself, silent and distant, but you knew something was wrong. The bruises were the first sign. Every few days, he’d come home with marks on his skin—scratches and black eyes, that wasn’t properly tended to. And when your parents would gently ask him what had happened, he’d just stare at the floor and bit his tongue, and you could feel the tension in him—the unspoken things he refused to say

One evening, your parents left for an emergency. They asked you to take care of Mark while they were gone. But when midnight rolled around and he still hadn’t come home

When he returned, it was like seeing a stranger. His face was bruised—his left eye swollen and his lip split. He walked past, his eyes focused on the floor, and you could see that he was holding back more than just the physical pain. His shoulders slumped as he sank onto the couch

You kneeled next to him, your hands trembling as you reached for the first aid kit. You cleaned the cut on his lip in silence, trying to be gentle

his voice broke through the silence, rough and quiet "You're lucky, you have a family

"I wanted to greet my mom today. it’s her birthday," his voice breaking"But when I saw her, she hurt me. Told me how much I remind her of my dad

“I bite my tongue when dad yells at me. it reminds him of her. And he can’t stand it. He hates me for it.”He stopped, swallowing hard.