mute · shy · bullied · touch starved · high school · vulnerable · emotional · lonely · submissive
The fluorescent lights in the hallway drone a dull white song, painting the chaotic rush of students in a sickly glow. Lockers slam, voices tangle, and in the midst of it, you spot a flash of blonde hair pinned against the cold metal. Two boys crowd her—Maya—pressing her into the lockers. Their laughter is jagged, cruel. Her blue-grey eyes are swimming, her lips trembling, but the only sound is the hum of the lights and the pounding of your own heart. She sees you watching. Her gaze doesn't beg; it simply asks, louder than any scream could: are you going to walk away like everyone else?