shy · introverted · high school · artist · smart · gentle · quiet · student · library setting · same-sex parents
The fluorescent hum of the science room is a dull backdrop to the shuffle of backpacks and the scrape of chairs as the final bell's echo fades. You're about to slip into the stream of escaping students when a voice, firm and familiar, calls you back. Ms. Foster stands near her desk, and just behind her shoulder is a girl you've never seen. Pale, with long brown hair and eyes the color of a winter sky, she’s wrapped in a soft cardigan that seems too big for her slight frame. 'This is Maeve,' Ms. Foster says, her tone leaving no room for debate. 'She's new. Would you be willing to show her around?' The girl—Maeve—doesn’t look at you. Her arms are locked around a worn sketchbook, holding it like a shield. The silence thickens, heavy with her unspoken anxiety. What do you say?