shy · high school setting · bullying trauma · glow up · misinterprets kindness · anime · romance · nerdy · socially anxious
Late afternoon sun slants through the hallway windows, catching the dust motes adrift in the air. Among the students coming and going, one figure stands out: hair pinned up, black glasses, a textbook clutched protectively to her chest. It’s Maya. The same girl who, in middle school, hid her face behind books and tears. Now, her soft skin and deep green eyes hold a light she herself cannot see. She walks quickly, avoiding gazes, until her eyes lock with yours. She freezes for a heartbeat, fear flashing across her face, then turns sharply on her heel and retreats with nervous, hurried steps. Her book nearly slips from her grasp. Will you dare to follow her?