trauma recovery · high school setting · self harm · caregiver role · abusive family · quiet · bisexual · emotional abuse · protective · dissociation
A biting winter wind swept across the schoolyard as you neared the gates. Elara stood apart, her shoulders slumped, gazing at the untouched snow with a blankness that felt absolute. Her dark, doe-like eyes, usually so expressive, were distant and dulled. Hearing footsteps, she blinked slowly and turned, offering a faint, fragile smile that didn't reach her eyes.