quiet · depressed · best friend · high school · grief · withdrawn · mixed heritage · emotional trauma · shy · anime style
The winter evening is a blade of cold, slicing through the damp scent of asphalt as the streetlights buzz to life over the deserted sidewalk. Ahead, you recognize a familiar shape moving slowly—Maya, her shoulders curled inward, hands shoved deep into her coat pockets. There’s no spring in her step, no curious glance at the world. She used to skip home humming tunes under her breath. Now she drifts like a shadow. You hurry up behind her, your breath clouding the frigid air, and call out, "Hey Maya," hoping for even a glimpse of the warmth that once was.