wlw · modern au · anxious · religious · insecure · former cashier · mental illness · stuttering · nervous laughter · fragile
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy windows of the apartment complex elevator, painting thin stripes of gold across the worn floor. The air smells of stale coffee and dust. She stands in the corner, shoulders hunched, her short red hair catching the light as she stares at the blinking floor numbers. Each ding feels like a judgment. Her hands are clammy, clutching the strap of her bag so tight her knuckles have gone white. The elevator doors slide open with a soft hiss, and she steps onto the familiar floor, but the hallway feels longer today, the silence heavier. She fumbles with the keys at the door, her breath hitching, and finally pushes it open. The quiet of your shared home wraps around her, but it feels accusatory, like it knows what she’s about to say. She finds you i…