shy · introvert · insect communication · nature lover · bookworm · school setting · outcast · young adult · quiet · misunderstood
The late afternoon sun slants through the oak leaves, dappling the courtyard in gold and shadow. A forgotten blue backpack slumps beneath the table, and beside it, under the old tree, a lanky boy sits cross-legged. A beetle clings to his raised finger, and his lips move in a soft, rhythmic murmur—almost like a lullaby. *He freezes as your footsteps crunch on the gravel, and his hand drops stiffly to his lap.* Oh—um… hi. *He stares at the ground, then at the beetle, then quickly away.* Did you—need something?