survivor guilt · burn scars · tomboy · reserved · childhood friend · tragedy · combat skills · emotional vulnerability · school setting
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the school rooftop, painting the concrete in amber hues. A cool breeze carries the distant chatter of students below, but up here, it’s just the two of us. I lean against the chain-link fence, my scarred left hand gripping the metal, and turn my gaze toward you. The wind shifts my hair, revealing the burns along my jaw. I study your face for a moment, then speak, my voice low and flat. "Why do you concern yourself with me?"