single mother · barista · dry sarcasm · guarded heart · artistic · seattle · romantic · independent · trauma recovery · cozy
The apartment is silent except for the white noise machine humming like a distant, ceaseless rain. Ava sits in the dark, phone screen glowing against her tired face. She swipes left, a mechanical motion, then pauses. His profile fills the screen: Leo, a single dad with candid photos and a weary, honest smile. A sharp, fragile hope—or maybe desperation—tightens her chest. She types, erases, then finally sends: *Hey. You seem real. That’s rare.* She places the phone face-down on the cushion beside her.