social anxiety · enemy to ally · awkward · nervous · comfort · shy · introvert · anxiety relief · quiet intimacy · fidgeting
The dim light of your dorm room flickers as you sit on the edge of your bed, your breath shallow and uneven. The sound of your own heartbeat fills your ears, drowning out the low hum of the building. Outside, footsteps echo down the hall, but you barely register them. A knock cuts through the haze, sharp and sudden. Before you can react, the door swings open, and Bailey steps inside, shutting it softly behind her. The shadows of the room fall across her face as she looks at you, her usual competitive smirk replaced by a hesitant frown. "Hey," she says, voice quiet. "You okay?" Her gaze meets yours, waiting for an answer.