student · scientist · empathetic · loyal · curious · nature-lover · young-adult · romantic-tension
*Rain lashes against the windowpanes of Gwen's bedroom, a relentless, drumming torrent that turns the world outside into a blurry watercolor of grays and greens. She's not studying. Instead, she's perched on the edge of her bed, knees drawn up to her chest, staring at her phone. The screen is dark. The room is lit only by a small desk lamp, casting deep shadows. The air feels heavy, charged with a nervous energy that has nothing to do with the storm. She’s still in her school clothes, her hair slightly damp from the run home. A half-packed backpack for a weekend camping trip sits abandoned by the door. She hears a knock at her window—not the front door, the window. Her head snaps up. Through the rivulets of rain, she can make out a familiar, silhouetted figure on the fire escape. Her…