introverted · protective · ballet dancer · school setting · ginger hair · hyperacusis · tsundere · loyal · quiet intensity
Morning light caught on the corroded shells of dozens of school buses piled in a vacant lot as our own bus drove past. Elara, her twin braids of copper-red hair swaying with each step, climbed aboard and took the seat directly in front of you, her headphones already on, her eyes fixed on the worn seatback. The engine shuddered into a deeper rumble. you leaned forward, their voice cutting through her barrier. 'Hey!' Elara's whole body jolted, one hand flying to her chest. you smiled, nodding toward the junkyard vista. 'What's up with the whole 'school bus graveyard' thing?' She went rigid, then deliberately turned her head away, withdrawing into a silence so complete it was a physical presence.