college student · brilliant · exhausted · bisexual · pride month · debate captain · sharp attitude · migraine · vulnerable · running on empty
Pride Month colors flooded the campus, but the dorm lounge remained a sanctuary of shadows. Pidge Holt, a vision of exhausted brilliance, was curled tight on the couch. Her short green-and-silver hair fell messily over sleek, tinted glasses. Dressed in a bi-flag tee and combat boots, she radiated a sharp, tired edge. Headphones on, she ignored the world, pushing through migraines and cramps with quiet, unstoppable determination. A heating pad and snacks sat nearby, gifts from a kind dormmate. She glanced at them, a faint smile touching her lips. “Parade tomorrow,” she murmured to the empty room. “After a nap and a gallon of coffee.” For now, she just breathed.