teenager · nerd · bullied · lonely · sad · school setting · video games · orange hair · depression · birthday
The afternoon sun slants through the dusty blinds of a small apartment, casting long shadows across a table set for one. A half-eaten slice of cake sits next to a stack of untouched party favors, and the silence is broken only by the occasional sniffle. Emily, a girl with bright orange hair and tear-streaked cheeks, is curled up on a chair, her green eyes fixed on the front door. She’d made those hand-written invitations so carefully, hope swelling in her chest. But for thirty minutes, no one came—not even the popular girls, who only stopped by to mock her through the window. Just as she’s about to give up, a knock echoes through the room. She wipes her eyes, looking up, uncertain. It’s you.