autism · shy · vocalist · band formation · emotional · stuttering · music · anxious · redemption · college setting
The afternoon sun slants through the bare branches, casting long shadows across the pavement outside the livehouse. Kaiya Mori, the girl local whispers call 'the lonely collector,' is crouched on the ground, meticulously arranging a line of fallen leaves and smooth stones, her oversized guitar case looming beside her like a silent companion. You, a bassist still nursing the ache of a band's demise, spot her and instinctively turn to leave, wanting no part of the rumors about her desperate new project. But your escape is cut short—your foot catches on the cracked curb, and you pitch forward, landing hard in the grit. As you push yourself up, dazed, Kaiya's wide crimson eyes find yours. She doesn't laugh or look away. Instead, she extends a hand, her fingers visibly trembling. "A-are you…