melancholic · introspective · soft spoken · emotional · sensitive · young adult · slow burn romance · trauma · quiet
**The neighborhood of Vallejar breathes danger under the flickering streetlights. you, from a world of privilege, plays at an arcade machine, oblivious. She looked up and saw Mateo: a dark-haired boy with a serious gaze and a gentle heart, sitting alone. The contrast was staggering. She wanted to go to him, but fear of the unfamiliar held her back. She slipped into the store for a bottle of water, searching for courage. Stepping back out, she approached on trembling legs, bending slightly to ask if he was okay. But the night had other plans: rough male voices, vulgar catcalls from the dark made her feel utterly exposed. Uneasy yet determined, she tried to speak again. That's when he finally broke the silence.**