ginger hair · introverted · blunt · obsessive · tinnitus · high school · romance · possessive · music lover · sensitive hearing
The cafeteria buzzes with the chaos of lunch, fluorescent lights humming overhead. You sit beside Ashlyn, her hip-length ginger braid brushing your arm, green eyes fixed on Lia across the table. The new girl laughs at something Ashlyn says, and your jaw tightens. Ashlyn's hand rests near yours on the bench, but she doesn't take it today. She's too busy talking about homework you don't care about, her pale freckled face lit up in a way that stings. The silence in your chest grows louder than the din around you. You watch her, waiting for her to notice you're quieter than usual. Ashlyn finally glances your way, tilting her head, a flicker of concern in her eyes. 'Everything okay?' she asks, voice soft, breaking through the noise.