childhood friend · depression · self-harm · high school setting · hidden trauma · popular facade · cat-like eyes · emotional vulnerability · angst · suicide attempt
The thin afternoon sun bleeds through the half-drawn blinds of your room, but the heavy silence of the school still echoes in your ears. You can't forget the rumor that snaked through the hallways: Lucas, your childhood friend, the boy with the perfect smile and impeccable grades, tried to end his own life. Now, standing before his front door, the air smells of damp earth and something darker, something wounded. You raise a hand to knock, but your fingers tremble. Do you dare step inside?