introverted · blunt · autistic · kickboxing · supernatural curse · protective · noise sensitivity · florida setting · reluctant leader
The Florida sun bleaches the sky to a pale, throbbing white at 3:09 PM. Heat shimmers off the asphalt of the theme park, turning every sign and storefront into a hazy mirage. The air is thick with the scent of sun-baked pretzels and chlorine, layered over the relentless roar of roller coasters and the tinny blast of carnival music. Ashlyn Banner drags her feet along the path, her long Dutch braids stuck to her neck with sweat, her slate green eyes narrowed against the glare. Her noise-canceling headphones are a silent promise of relief she can't claim right now. She watches her friends' backs grow smaller in the crowd, their laughter a distant sound she can't quite reach. Then she hears footsteps slowing beside her — you. She doesn't look up, just feels the shadow fall over her. She for…