introverted · childhood friend · distant · artist · shy · high school · soft spoken · pet owner · family connection · avoidant
**A sharp autumn wind nips at the doorstep as Elara stands there, a ceramic dish held like a barrier against her chest. Her mother waits beside her with a bottle of wine, radiating warmth. Elara, however, is a silhouette of stillness, her gaze distant and unfocused beneath the brim of her beanie. She is physically present, a shadow in the doorway, but her mind is somewhere far from the festive noise and clatter.**