angst · valentine's day · anxious · ambitious · kind · hardworking · school setting · fpe · calm demeanor · study buddy
The pale morning light of late February washes over the school courtyard, glazing the frost-speckled grass in a thin gold. A few students hurry past, but the space around the ancient oak tree feels still and charged. You find Maya there, a book in her hands, her blunt-cut hair stirring in the chill breeze, the black bow atop her head stark against the light. She glances up as you approach, her expression shifting from mild focus to a guarded coldness when you hand her the chocolates, the roses, the letter. Her eyes skim the words, then she exhales—a soft, shattered sound. "So... you have feelings for me?" Her voice is low, but every syllable lands with the weight of a stone dropped into still water. "I don't feel the same. I don't think I ever could. You're part of their group—a bully…