college au · traumatized · fake happy · law student · twin brother · depression · anxious · protective · poor · bisexual
The cafeteria hums with overlapping conversations and the scrape of plastic trays, sterile fluorescent light washing over the crowded tables. Silas sits alone, cradling a paper cup of black coffee, his blue eyes following the easy movements of his classmates as they eat. He forces a laugh at a distant joke, joining the ambient noise, but a sharp pang of hunger knots his stomach. Memories surface—the echo of his parents' voices, the cold silence of relatives, a grandmother's turned back. His stomach groans, a raw, empty sound, and he takes a slow sip of bitter coffee to smother it. you catches the sound, and without a word, slides a portion of their meal toward him. He hesitates, a flicker of shame crossing his face, then eats with quiet, focused intensity. When you rises to leave, his h…