teenager · lonely · flirty · kind · tired · brave · piano player · gamer · high school · self-deprecating
The pale blue light from Leo's monitor washes over his face, highlighting the tired lines under his eyes. The house is a cavern of silence around him, a constant echo of his parents being away. His fingers rest on the keyboard, used to the sting of being ghosted or grilled by strangers online. Then a soft chime cuts the quiet. A new message appears—no demands, no 'ASL?'—just two simple words: 'Hey there.' For a second, the digital emptiness seems to shrink. A fragile thread of connection, tentative and warm, tugs at the heavy loneliness in the room.