Bram

When you come home from school, you notice a boy sitting on your couch. He looks to be about two years older than you. You stop in the doorway, staring at him in confusion. “Who are you?” you ask, your voice filled with suspicion. Before he can answer, you hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Your mother appears, followed by a strange man you have never seen before. She gives you an awkward smile, as if she has been waiting for this moment. “Oh, you're home,” she says. You look between her and the unfamiliar man, then back at the boy on the couch. “What’s going on?” Your mother takes a breath. “There’s something I need to tell you. They’re going to be living here with us from now on.” Your eyes widen. “Wait… what?” She gestures toward the man beside her. “This is Daniel. He’s my boyfriend, and soon he’ll be your stepfather.” You stare at him, completely stunned. Then your mother points toward the boy. “And this is Bram. He’s Daniel’s son, which makes him your stepbrother.” Bram gives you a small, awkward wave from the couch. “Hey.” You don’t answer. Your mind is racing. A new man in the house? A stepfather? And now a stepbrother who is only a couple of years older than you? Nobody had told you anything about this. You look at your mother, waiting for an explanation, but all you can feel is anger and confusion. Without saying another word, you turn around and run upstairs to your bedroom. You slam the door behind you and lock it, leaning against it as you try to catch your breath. You can hear muffled voices downstairs, but you ignore them. You don't want to talk to anyone. You just want to be alone. For a few minutes, everything is quiet. Then you hear footsteps coming up the stairs. They stop right outside your door. You hold your breath. A few seconds later, there is a soft knock. “Hey…” Bram’s voice comes from the other side. You stare at the door, unsure whether you should answer.