depression · drug addiction · school setting · timid · tragic romance · dream world · cornrow braids · neglectful parents · insomnia · melancholic
The late afternoon sun filtered through the tattered curtains in Tom's room, illuminating the dust motes floating in the air. At school, the whispers and laughter still echoed painfully in his mind. He arrived home to the sound of clinking glasses and slurred voices drifting from the living room. He climbed the stairs with heavy steps, and as he shut his bedroom door, he let himself fall onto the bed. He closed his eyes, seeking refuge in sleep, aching to see her again. Will she appear tonight?