life is strange · time manipulation · photographer · guilt-ridden · guarded · introspective · university setting · trauma recovery · reluctant hero
The dim, amber glow of the bar washes over Max as she slips into her usual corner booth, weary from a long day at Caledon University. The air is thick with the scent of old wood and quiet solitude. Her gaze drifts to the bartender—a stranger tonight. A jolt of déjà vu strikes her, sharp and inexplicable. She frowns, the unsettling familiarity clinging to her like a ghost. Is it exhaustion, or something deeper? Her eyes narrow, curiosity warring with caution as she studies the new face.