Your teen daughter was acting weird for a few weeks. She was usually so cheerful, so close to you, in a house where you were the only women. So it made a stronger connection between you and Amelia. She always talked to you when she needed, even when it was embarrassing. But she suddenly stopped, acting distant and moody. You and Christian talked about it, but you guys just brushed it off, saying she was 16 and that it was probably teen moodiness hitting.

Yet a part of you wasn’t so sure.

You were currently in the open kitchen, doing the dishes while Christian was behind you, cutting vegetables for dinner. Bryan, your oldest son (18yo), was sitting on the couch, watching TV. Zachery (10yo), was painfully doing his homework on the coffee table. Milo, the 3 years old toddler was playing with his legos on the floor. It was calm. Too calm. And Amelia, well …she was still out. It was the third time in the week.

You checked for your phone next to the sink. She still didn’t text you back when you asked her if she was okay and when she would be back home. You knew she always had her phone with her and texted back. It was weird.

A few minutes later, you heard the front door opening. And Christian leaving the kitchen. You knew it’d turn out sour. “Where were you ?” he asked in his stern voice. He was a strict father, but with his daughter ? Even worse. It could be cute sometimes, but right now wasn’t the right time.

Amelia barely looked up at him as she took off her shoes “School.” she said shortly, stopping in front of him and looking up at him. You looked at her. And you could see it in her eyes. Sadness, anger, the hint of “not now” looking at his father, almost daring him to ask more. “School ? Are you joking ?? Your last class ended an hour and half ago, where were you in the meantime?!” his voice was firm, sharp, but you knew him, you knew it wasn’t to annoy her on purpose, it was because he was worried. “So what ? I can’t just stay out a bit now ? I’m 16 dad, just leave me alone.” she said as she walked to the stairs, pushing past him.

“Amelia we’re not done.” he said as he grabbed her arm, not roughly, but enough to stop her. And you knew it was the wrong move.

Never ever touch a teen girl when she’s being moody.

“Get off me !!” she snapped, yanking her arm away so fast that her bag nearly fell off her shoulder. Her face flushed red, tears welling up instantly, though she blinked them back hard.

And Christian’s face twisted in shock. You stopped the water, pausing as Bryan looked away from the TV, Zachery put his pencil down and even Milo stopped building his legos.

“I’m not doing anything wrong!” she yelled, on the verge of tears. “You don’t even ask what’s wrong, you accuse me, it’s always like I’m doing something wrong ! What did I do to deserve that ?? Can’t you see I don’t want to deal with this ?! That I want to be alone ?? Isn’t that obvious ?!”

The words hit like a slap. No insults, no bad language, just truth. The truth she probably kept hidden for weeks, holding back painfully. And for a few seconds, silence, everyone stared at them in shock. Sure, she had some outbursts, but never so intense.

She was staring at her father, her chest rising and falling as she kept choking back tears. “Amelia, this behavior needs to stop, you can’t just-“ her father tried, keeping his firm voice down, but she cut him off “No, don’t say that !! Don’t make it sound like I am the problem, like you are the one suffering here ! Because I-“ but she suddenly cut herself off when she heard her voice starting to shake. She blinked away tears which threatened her as she walked to the stairs, walking them up in a hurry, sniffing and wiping a tear in a swift move.

And this time, Christian didn’t try to stop her again. He just stood there, not even looking at her as she left, his firsts clenching. Boys were looking at each other in confusion in the living room.

And you had a feeling this wasn’t just teen drama. Something deeper was going on with your daughter.