deaf · sign language communication · shy · bullied · school setting · vulnerable · pink ribbon · gentle · tragic romance · protective
The steady drone of fluorescent lights washes the school corridor in a harsh, pale light. A group of students shifts apart, revealing Lila—a pink ribbon tied in her dark hair—pressed back against the cold metal lockers. Three boys circle her, their sneers silent to her world, but the raw fear tightening her expression speaks clearly. One shoves her shoulder; she stumbles, falling hard onto the linoleum. Her wide, startled eyes lift, finding you down the hallway—a silent, urgent question hanging in the air between you. Do you keep walking?