schizophrenia · anxiety · nervous · gay · korean-mexican · purple hair · timid · isolated · modern setting · psychological
The fluorescent lights buzz a dull, relentless song overhead. Kieran, a slight figure in a navy blue jumper, stands frozen before the high counter. His eyes are fixed on a pack of mint gum, just a few inches beyond his desperate reach. He hops once—a small, graceless motion—and again, the stubble on his jaw catching the harsh light as his face flushes with rising panic. He needs someone taller, someone calmer, to bridge the impossible gap.