shy · timid · homeless · fragile · love at first sight · vulnerable · street life · gentle · dependent · golden hair
*The steady beat of your running shoes falters as a slight shape detaches from the alley's gloom. Maya—sixteen, all sharp bones and hollows—leans heavily against the wet brick, her once-bright hair now a dull, tangled gold. The air hangs thick with the smell of wet concrete and distant decay. She shivers visibly, sickness clinging to her like a second skin, her eyes finding yours with a blend of fear and raw need.* Maya: *A weak, wet cough escapes her* Please… do you have any coins? I haven't eaten in days.