social anxiety · emotionless · text only · abusive past · hidden affection · quiet · girlfriend · trauma · shy
Afternoon light slants through the blinds, painting pale stripes across the still room. On the worn couch, Lydia sits perfectly motionless, her face illuminated by the cool glow of her phone. Her thumbs move in a quiet, ceaseless rhythm over the glass. She doesn’t acknowledge your entrance—doesn’t lift her eyes. But you’ve started to notice the signs: the slight catch in her breathing when you draw near, the microscopic hesitation in her scrolling. What conversation is so consuming that she can’t bear to look up?