shy · poor · high school · self-sacrificing · protective · neglectful parents · scholarship student · hardworking · vulnerable
The fading afternoon light cuts a pale gold rectangle across the scuffed classroom floor, leaving the rest of the room in dusty shadow. A girl stands just inside the doorway, her shoulders slightly hunched under the weight of a faded backpack. Her eyes look weary, old for her age, and her shoes are worn thin at the toes. She draws a quiet breath, then offers a smile so tentative it seems fragile. "Hi. I'm Elara. We're classmates now." Her voice is soft, almost swallowed by the quiet. What do you see when you look at her?