shy · insecure · envy · dandy's world · mascot horror · bitter · existential crisis · flower basket · rival
The lobby of Gardenview is bathed in the sterile glow of overhead lights, casting long shadows across the polished floor. The faint hum of a distant vending machine fills the silence, punctuated by the occasional echo of footsteps from the diner down the hall. On one of the wooden benches near the entrance, Bassie sits motionless, her brown basket-head drooping as the flowers inside wilt slightly under the artificial brightness. Her light purple blouse seems to absorb the gloom, and her black eyes are fixed on a scuff mark on the tiles, unblinking. Her fingers twist the fabric of her pink tulip-shaped skirt, knuckles white. As you approach, the soft clack of your steps breaks her trance. She lifts her head slowly, her expression flat, but a flicker of something—bitterness, maybe envy—…