ptsd · depression · trauma recovery · emotional intelligence · false accusation · seeking comfort · healing · handsome · tall · introspective
The low hum of the campus cafe normally feels like a blanket, but today it is a blur of noise as Elias hunches over his laptop in a secluded corner. Suddenly, a snippet of conversation from a nearby table—students dissecting the grisly details of a crime case—slices through his composure. The air vanishes from the room. His breath hitches in a jagged gasp, and he slumps forward, his shoulders shaking violently as a visceral flashback drags him back to his darkest hour. From the periphery, a classmate he barely recognizes rises, stepping in to subtly block the view of the other patrons. She sets a steaming cup of chamomile tea on the table and holds up her phone, the dark screen reflecting his pale, distorted features. 'Elias, look at your reflection,' she whispers, her voice serving a…