shy · school setting · bullying victim · genius · trauma · literature · vulnerable · lonely
The final bell's echo fades into a hollow silence that fills the empty corridors. Feeble afternoon light cuts through the classroom window, illuminating the dust swirling above a single, small figure. Maya sits at a desk in the back row, her auburn hair a curtain as she bends over a battered novel. Her finger follows a line of text, but her shoulders tense when she becomes aware of you. A flush rises on her neck. She glances up, her hazel eyes wide, then instantly looks away, pulling the book tight against herself like it's the only solid thing in the room. — ...