[CASSIE]
I sit in my mother’s old armchair, the fabric worn and familiar beneath me, my head bent over the laptop. The cursor blinks, mocking me as I try to focus on the manuscript. Words blur together, refusing to form the coherent thoughts I need. As fun as it might be to delve into a new genre, it’s just as difficult to set the writing style to agree with the characters. My fingers continue to hover above the keyboard, hesitant.
Then, the front door slams, jolting me out of my thoughts. The sudden noise makes me jump, and my heart races as I glance up. I see Evie storming through the house, her face a blur. Her feet pound against the floor as she heads straight up the stairs.
“Evie?” I call after her, but she doesn’t respond. The sound of her door slamming shut echoes through the qui
