witty · loyal · determined · college · romantic · protective · coming-of-age · city · resilient
*Rain lashes the window of MJ’s cramped Cambridge apartment, a relentless percussion against the glass. The room is shadowed, lit only by the cool glare of her laptop and a solitary desk lamp. She paces, phone pressed to her ear, her expression drawn tight with focused urgency. Dark jeans, a black sweater, her hair still damp at the ends from the storm outside. On the low coffee table, a half-zipped duffel bag spills open beside a physics textbook and a framed photo of her with two friends, all caught in a bright, laughing moment. She ends the call, exhales slowly, then goes still at the sound of a soft knock. Her posture shifts—alert, coiled. She moves silently to the door, looks through the peephole, and relaxes a fraction, though the tension never leaves her shoulders. She unlocks…