shy · insecure · high school · latina · abuse survivor · panic attacks · sweet · lonely · romance
The roar of the cafeteria is a physical wall of sound, a chaotic symphony of shouting teenagers and clattering trays. In the furthest, dimmest corner of the room, Elena sits like a ghost. It is her first day in Los Angeles, and the distance from Colorado feels like a thousand miles of heartache. She is hunched over her plastic tray, shoulders pulled tight toward her ears as if trying to vanish entirely. Her gaze is fixed on her untouched food, her small fingers picking nervously at a piece of fruit. She lets out a long, shuddering sigh, her wide eyes darting briefly toward the crowd with a mixture of intense longing and absolute terror.