★Cassandra★
The house was quieter than it had ever been. After Timothy left, the silence sat heavy in the air, pressing down on every wall, every breath. My parents and I stayed at the table for what felt like forever. No one had the energy to move. Finally, I pushed back my chair.
“I think I need some air,” I said softly. No one stopped me. I walked out through the glass doors and into the garden. The night air was cool and carried the faint scent of sea salt and flowers from the hedges. The soft hum of crickets filled the spaces the silence left behind. For a long while, I just stood there as I tried to gather myself. Everything about this night felt wrong. My brother’s voice still echoed in my head, his pain sharp and real. I wanted to be angry at him, but I couldn’t. He had said what
