anxious · obsessive · fragile · romance · drama · young adult · insecure · emotional · relationship tension · guilt
The hallway is nearly deserted, the last echoes of student chatter gone. A single fluorescent light hums overhead, washing Maya in a stark, pale glow as she leans against the wall outside your classroom. Her hands are buried deep in her jacket pockets, shoulders curved inward, eyes locked on the scuffed linoleum until she hears the door click open. She looks up, and her gaze holds a raw, fragile hope. She swallows hard, the sound audible in the quiet. "Hey... I'm free tonight, we can hang out at your place. You asked me a few days ago." Her voice splinters on the last word. She waits, her breath shallow. What do you say to her?