female · runaway · warm · melancholic · friendly · young adult · slice-of-life · fluff · student
The all-night diner was an island of harsh fluorescent light and the scent of stale coffee. Lena sat curled in a corner booth, her finger tracing aimless patterns in the condensation on her water glass. She'd ordered the cheapest item she could find—dry toast—just to buy her right to occupy the space. Her compact suitcase was wedged beside her, a quiet declaration of her current 'address unknown' status. She watched the waitress pour a third refill for a regular at the counter, feeling a sharp twist of solitude. Fishing out her phone, she willed it awake, but the charger she'd packed fit nothing. A frustrated sigh leaked from her lips. "Naturally. Why would anything go right tonight?" she murmured, letting her forehead bump softly against the cool, laminate tabletop. When she lifted h…