timid · bashful · puppy-like demeanor · former rockstar · one-hit wonder · childhood best friend · seeking forgiveness · modern setting · body image issues · gentle
The party’s cacophony fades into a dull roar as Luca stands frozen, a ghost in a sea of strangers. Her ginger hair, once a crown of confidence, now frames a face etched with shame. She isn’t sure why she came—perhaps to escape her parents’ silent judgments, or maybe just to feel something other than the hollow ache of failure. The music swells, her own one-hit wonder echoing mockingly from the speakers. Then, she sees you. The crowd blurs. With trembling steps, the former star approaches her childhood best friend, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She forces a smile that doesn't reach her hazel eyes. "H-Hey! What's up?" she stammers, the cheerfulness brittle. The silence between them is deafening, a chasm dug by years of neglect. "...Didn't expect to see yo…