goldeninfj2305

[goldeninfj2305]

Chapter 1: The Night That Changed Everything

Flashback (8 Years Ago, Eva’s POV)

The rain came down in torrents that night, blurring the road ahead into streaks of gray. The headlights barely cut through the storm as the car sped down the highway, the tension inside heavier than the air outside.“Can you slow down, please?” Mom’s voice was tight, her hands gripping the armrest. She glanced at Dad, her face pale in the dim light. “You’re going too fast.”“I’m fine,” Dad snapped, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. His breath reeked of whiskey, though no one dared to mention it. “Maybe if you stopped nagging for five minutes, I could think.”In the back seat, I clutched my brother’s hand. He gave me a reassuring squeeze, his usual grin absent as he whispered, “It’s okay. Don’t worry.”But I couldn’t stop worrying. The shouting, the swerving, the rain—everything felt wrong.“You’re going to get us killed!” Mom shouted, her voice breaking.“Shut up!” Dad bellowed, turning toward her for a split second.That’s when it happened.The car veered sharply, the tires screeching on the slick pavement. A blinding pair of headlights appeared out of nowhere, and then—impact.The world flipped. Glass shattered. Metal crunched.When I opened my eyes, the car was upside down, the rain pounding against the cracked windshield. My head throbbed, my vision blurred. I turned to my right, searching for him.“Ethan?” My voice was barely a whisper. “Ethan!”But he didn’t answer. His side of the car was crumpled like paper, and the blood—there was so much blood.Someone was screaming. It might have been me.

Present Day (Eva’s POV)

The smell of cigarette smoke drags me out of sleep. I open my eyes to find my room dimly lit by the weak morning light filtering through the grimy window. The nightmares never really leave me, and waking up feels like trading one nightmare for another.“Get up!” Dad’s voice cuts through the house like a whip. Something crashes downstairs—a bottle, probably.I sit up slowly, my body heavy with exhaustion. My room is as bleak as the rest of the house, the wallpaper peeling and the air damp. This place has never felt like home.I make my way downstairs, each creak of the steps echoing in the silence. Dad is in the kitchen, slumped in a chair with a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other. His bloodshot eyes narrow when he sees me.“You’re late,” he slurs.“For what?” I ask, my voice dull.He scowls. “Don’t be smart with me.”I lower my gaze, biting back a retort. There’s no point in fighting. He always wins.“You’re just like her,” he mutters, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Ungrateful. Selfish. Leaving her family behind like that.”His words pierce the fragile armor I’ve built around myself, but I don’t let him see it. I grab a rag and start cleaning, letting his muttering fade into the background.Later, when the house is quiet, I lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. The rain taps softly against the window, a cruel echo of the night that took everything from me. Somewhere out there, I hope Ethan’s at peace. He’s the only one who ever cared about me, and now he’s gone.But I’m still here. And I have no idea why.

Present Day (Ryan’s POV)

The first thing I remember feeling as a kid was unwanted. Not sadness, not anger—just that dull ache of being invisible.I sit in the corner of the dining room, the chandelier casting cold light over the table. My father’s voice booms as he talks business with my older brother, Michael, the golden boy, the heir.“Your vision is sharp, as always, Michael,” Dad says, clapping him on the back. “This deal will seal our dominance in the market. You’ll be the face of it.”Michael beams under the praise. Across from him, my mother nods approvingly, her diamonds glinting under the light.And then there’s me. The extra.“Pass the bread,” Michael says, not bothering to look at me.I pass it, because that’s all I’m ever expected to do—watch, listen, and serve. I try to speak once, but my father cuts me off without so much as a glance.“Ryan, this doesn’t concern you. Don’t embarrass yourself.”The words hit like a whip, but I swallow my pride, as always. It’s easier this way.After dinner, I retreat to my room—a sprawling space filled with expensive furniture I never asked for. The weight of the evening presses down on me as I sit on the edge of my bed. I pull out my phone, scrolling aimlessly until my eyes land on an old photo.It’s me and Adrian—my best friend, once upon a time. His arm is slung around my shoulders, both of us grinning like idiots. We thought we’d conquer the world together. But that was before he left, before he disappeared with nothing but a cold goodbye.“Where are you now?” I mutter to the empty room, my voice heavy with bitterness.The rain taps against the window, a soft reminder of the storm outside. I glance at the pile of unfinished sketches on my desk—dreams I’ve kept hidden from the family that wouldn’t care even if they knew.For as long as I can remember, I’ve lived in the shadow of their expectations, their indifference. But sometimes, in the quiet moments, I wonder if there’s more to life than this suffocating cycle of being ignored. Somewhere out there, maybe someone feels as invisible as I do.

[goldeninfj2305]

TORN TOGETHER

9Some bonds are forged in silence, some are broken by words never spoken.Five teens, each carrying secrets, scars, and lives they’d rather leave behind, find themselves drawn together by fate—though none of them are sure why. In their shared moments of quiet, they begin to unravel the truths they’ve hidden from the world. But some truths, once uncovered, can never be forgotten.What does it mean to be truly seen? Can a connection survive the weight of the past, or is it doomed to be torn apart by everything that came before?In the space between pain and healing, in the stillness of unspoken understanding, they must face the one question they can't escape: When you’re broken, can you ever really be whole again?Torn Together is a haunting journey through the things we hide and the ties that bind us, even when we wish they wouldn’t.