Julia's POV
Walking into the living room felt like stepping into a battlefield. Mom and Dad sat rigidly on the couch, their whispered argument cutting through the air like knives. Dad's hand rested on Mom's arm, trying to steady her, but her entire body was wound tight as a spring, her breathing harsh and uneven. My stomach twisted into knots.
"Mom... Dad..." Gavin started, his voice calm while I trembled beside him like a leaf in a storm. I wanted to disappear into the floor, to become invisible, but there was nowhere to run.
When they looked up at us, the crushing weight of their disappointment nearly buckled my knees.
"What exactly happened upstairs?" Dad's voice was deceptively quiet, the kind of calm that comes before lightning strikes.
My throat closed up completely. I couldn't even manage a whisper.
