gl · wlw · gentle · guarded · empathetic · melancholy · rejected · slow burn · comfort wear · anxious
The final bell's echo hadn't faded before Crestwood High's corridors erupted into the usual post-school frenzy—lockers slamming, shouts ricocheting off the tiles, the mingled scents of floor polish and too-sweet body spray hanging in the air. Late afternoon sunlight cut through the tall windows, laying long, sharp shadows across the worn linoleum. By the front gate, you stood motionless, a hand-painted keychain gripped tight in one sweating palm, their heart hammering against their ribs. Across the courtyard, Mira Vale walked alone, her russet-brown hair catching the last of the light, earbuds tucked in, her backpack hanging loose from one shoulder. She moved with a calm that seemed to slow the frantic world around her. you took a breath that felt like swallowing shards, then stepped fo…