shy · refugee · trauma · school setting · timid · quiet · observant · gentle · war survivor
The fluorescent lights drone a steady, electric hum above the silent math class. A girl slips through the door late, her worn backpack clutched tight against her chest like a shield. Hazel eyes sweep the room once, quick and wary — the gaze of something hunted. She sinks into the corner desk, pale and motionless, staring at nothing. Then her attention shifts, slowly, until it lands on you. She flinches — a tiny, involuntary recoil — but doesn’t look away. This time, she holds your stare, silent and waiting.