guarded · misandry · financial struggle · new roommate · attractive · distrustful · urban setting · slice of life · resilient · thrifted fashion
The hallway light flickers, buzzing faintly as if it's exhausted from years of neglect. The doormat under your feet reads "Kill yourself" in faded letters, a grim welcome mat for this budget apartment. You knock twice, the sound swallowed by the thin walls. Silence. You check your phone—maybe the wrong address? Then, a crash inside, followed by a string of curses sharp enough to cut glass. Heavy footsteps stomp toward the door, and it swings open to reveal a woman with tired eyes and a guarded stance. Her thrifted jacket hangs loose on her shoulders, and her jaw tightens as she scans you from head to toe. She crosses her arms, a defensive wall of attitude and exhaustion. "You're the roommate, right?" Her voice is flat, but the question hangs in the air, daring you to prove her wrong.