Tess was sharper than usual.
Too sharp.
Even for her.
"Wow," one of her brothers muttered, leaning back in his chair, "who pissed you off today?"
Another snorted. "Probably that guy she's always arguing with. What's his name again?"
"Marcus," someone else chimed in, smirking. "Figures."
Her grip tightened around her fork.
"Shut up."
"Relax," her brother laughed. "Did he finally get to you or something?"
"Maybe she likes it," another added, voice dripping with amusement.
"Wouldn't surprise me."
Tess slammed her fork down.
"I said shut up."
Silence.
Brief.
Tense.
Her mother sighed dramatically from across the table.
"Why are you always like this?" she muttered. "You should be grateful boys even pay attention to you."
Tess's jaw tightened.
There it was.
Always.
"Maybe if you acted more like a girl—"
"Maybe if you stopped talking," Tess snapped, voice cutting clean through the room.
Another silence.
Heavier this time.
Her brothers exchanged looks.
Amused.
Unbothered.
Her mother rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."
And her father—
Said nothing.
He just sat there.
Hands still.
Eyes lowered.
But when Tess glanced at him—
Just for a second—
She saw it.
Worry.
It flickered there, quiet and fragile, like something he didn't know how to express out loud.
He never did.
Tess looked away first.
He won't say anything.
He never does.
That's just who he is.
And maybe that was the worst part.
Because she understood him.
Too well.
The café was his dream.
Second Shift.
The only place where he still… existed.
Where he wasn't just—
Quiet.
Small.
Fading.
He stayed in the kitchen now.
Barely stepped out.
Barely spoke to customers.
Tess swallowed.
Hard.
If that place disappeared—
He might too.
She stood up abruptly.
"I'm done."
No one stopped her.
Upstairs
Her room was the only place that felt like hers.
Door closed.
Walls quiet.
She exhaled slowly.
Tension still sitting heavy in her chest.
Voices echoed faintly from downstairs.
Laughter.
Her brothers.
Tess rolled her eyes.
Idiots.
A sudden click behind her.
She turned.
Too late.
Her door slammed shut.
Locked.
From the outside.
"…Seriously?"
Muffled laughter.
"Tess, calm down~"
"Don't break anything!"
Her jaw clenched.
"Open the door."
"Say please."
Her hand tightened around the handle.
"Open. The door."
More laughter.
It didn't last long.
A minute, maybe two.
Just enough to annoy her.
Just enough to remind her.
Eventually—
The lock clicked open again.
She yanked the door open—
But they were already gone.
Cowards.
Tess exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her hair.
Whatever.
She grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom.
Shower
Hot water.
Steam filling the space.
Drowning out everything else.
For a few minutes—
Silence.
Peace.
Until—
She reached for her towel.
Nothing.
Tess froze.
"…No."
She checked again.
Hook.
Counter.
Behind the door.
Nothing.
Her eyes narrowed slowly.
"They did not—"
A beat.
Then—
From outside the door—
Faint laughter.
Tess closed her eyes.
Of course they did.
Of course they did.
She grabbed her clothes instead.
Pulled them on quickly—
Hair still dripping.
Water soaking into fabric.
Cold.
Uncomfortable.
Humiliating.
By the time she stepped back into her room, she was already done.
Emotionally.
Mentally.
Everything.
She locked her door this time.
Carefully.
Deliberately.
Dried her hair.
Changed again.
Made sure nothing was left for them to mess with.
Only then—
Did she lie down.
Staring at the ceiling.
"…Idiots."
Her voice was quieter now.
Less sharp.
More tired.
Guys were so annoying.
She turned onto her side.
Pulled the blanket slightly closer.
Her dad crossed her mind again.
That look.
That quiet worry.
She exhaled slowly.
He was a coward.
She hated that.
Because she had to learn not to be.
She forced herself out of being shy.
Forced herself to speak.
To stand up.
To push back.
So why couldn't he?
Her expression tightened.
And her mother—
No.
She didn't even want to think about her.
Tess buried her face slightly into the pillow.
Not all guys are like that.
The thought came quietly.
Uninvited.
She frowned.
Raxian wasn't.
Bruce wasn't.
Ethan wasn't.
Logan—
Barely spoke, but still.
And Marcus—
Her eyes snapped open.
"…No."
Annoying.
So annoying.
Why him?
Why did her mind keep going back to him?
The way he looked at her.
The way he—
She turned onto her back again.
Staring at the ceiling.
"…It's just a game."
It had to be.
It made sense.
It was safe.
It was—
Predictable.
But—
Her chest tightened.
Just slightly.
Because it didn't feel like one.
Tess reached for her phone.
Set her alarm.
Placed it down again.
Closed her eyes.
And still—
That smirk.
That voice.
That focus—
"…insufferable."
But softer this time.
And somewhere—
Between frustration—
And something she refused to name—
A crack formed.
Small.
Barely visible.
But real.