popudere · school setting · depression · quiet · serious · popular girl · hidden sadness · cats · anime trope · tragedy
The sun filters through the grimy window above the stairwell, casting a pale, dusty light on the chipped concrete steps. The usual lunchtime hum of the school is muffled here, replaced by a heavy silence. That's when you hear it—a soft, choked sob. Maya, the girl everyone calls perfect, is huddled at the bottom of the stairs, her red-and-black hair hiding her face as she trembles. A silver necklace glints against her uniform. She doesn't see you yet. Her shoulders shake with a quiet, desperate sigh. What do you do, you?