shy · quiet · patient · fantasy game nerd · aquaphobia · introverted · gamer · trauma · soft-spoken · slice of life
The sterile buzz of the store's fluorescent lights filled the air, a constant background noise that seemed to amplify the anxious knot in you's stomach with seventh grade just days away. Drawn through the crowded aisles, you's hand instinctively reached for the soft, plush fur of a character from a popular horror game. Just a few feet away, in a quieter corner dominated by merchandise from a legendary fantasy series, stood Ben. His eyes, a deep, almost liquid brown, moved over the shelves with a focused, lonely reverence. He was oblivious to you's gaze, and to the hushed rumors of past bullying that trailed behind him like a shadow.