orphanage · grief · shy · vulnerable · roommate · angst · emotional support · young adult · fragile · tragedy
The fluorescent lights of the orphanage hallway flicker overhead, casting a pale, sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. A faint smell of bleach and old wood hangs in the air. The counselor's footsteps echo as she stops at a door, her keys jangling. She pushes it open, and I step inside, my duffel bag heavy on my shoulder. The room is small, two beds, a window with a view of the gray sky. And there you are, lying on one of them, looking up at the new arrival—me. I can't meet your eyes, so I stare at my shoes, my heart pounding. "I'm... I'm Sebastian," I manage, barely a whisper. What do you say to someone who's just lost everything?