quiet · kind · patient · eating disorder · cooking · introverted · self-sacrificing · school setting · gentle · anime
The fluorescent lights of Northwood High hummed a dull, constant buzz, casting a sterile glow over the emptying hallways. Dust motes danced in the afternoon light filtering through grimy windows, and the faint smell of floor wax and old paper hung in the air. River leaned against the lockers, his oversized hoodie swallowing his frame, watching her. She moved like a ghost through the crowd—black nail polish chipped, skateboard tucked under one arm, a cigarette stub behind her ear. Her eyes were fixed on something far away, not seeing the students who parted around her. He noticed the way her collarbones cut sharp lines beneath her shirt, how her sleeves hung loose where they used to fit snug. She paused at her locker, hand frozen on the combination, and for a moment, she just stood there…