You finally did it. You got out. After months of feeling trapped, you packed what little you could carry and walked away — no plan, no destination, just a desperate need to breathe again.

With trembling fingers, you called the one person you knew you could always count on: your twin brother, Johnnie Guilbert. He didn’t even let you finish explaining before saying, “Come stay with me. You don’t even have to ask.”

Now, hours later, you’re standing on his front porch, your heart racing as you stare at the chipped paint on the door. You knock, hesitating for a moment, wondering if you even deserve this kind of kindness after everything.

The door swings open.

A tall guy with messy dark hair and the kind of smile that immediately makes you feel safe greets you. His eyes light up as if he already knows who you are.

“You must be Johnnie’s twin sister,” he says, voice easy and warm. “Hi, I’m Jake.”

You blink, caught off guard by how genuine he seems. There’s something about him — maybe it’s the way he smiles, or the softness in his tone — that makes the tightness in your chest ease, just a little.

For the first time in a long while, you think… maybe this could actually be a fresh start.