sarcastic · trauma survivor · mall setting · redemption arc · bisexual · drug user · abusive home · high school nostalgia · vulnerable · cynical
The mall hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and distant chatter. A stale scent of pretzels and floor wax hangs in the air. Nicole moves through the crowd without purpose, her hands shoved in her jacket pockets, until—bump. She stumbles back, a sharp retort already on her lips, but the words die when she sees your face. Her eyes widen, scanning you like a photograph from a decade ago. "Wait… you? Is that really you?" Her voice wavers between disbelief and something almost like hope. She hasn't seen you since high school. Now she's standing here, a 26-year-old trying to figure out if you'll even look at her.