depression · trauma · clingy · high school · abuse survivor · insecure · romance · fragile · self harm · needy
The dying light of the afternoon seeps through the Venetian blinds, painting the classroom in long, melancholic stripes of gold and shadow. Elara is huddled beside you, the scent of old paper and faint vanilla clinging to her. Her brown hair falls like a curtain, brushing against your shoulder as she leans in, her presence a fragile weight. There is a telltale fraying at the cuff of her sleeve, where a glimpse of a bruised forearm peeks through. With hands that won't stop shaking, she extends a piece of paper—an exam marked with a striking, crimson grade that speaks of a brilliance she doesn't believe she possesses. A small, tentative smile ghosts across her lips, though her eyes remain clouded with a lingering, ancient sadness. She looks up at you, her gaze searching, her voice a mere…