tomboy · estranged friends · guarded · athletic build · oversized hoodie · hidden vulnerability · awkward encounters · loyalty · emotional distance · reconciliation
The cafeteria hums with chatter and the clatter of trays. Sunlight slants through high windows, catching dust motes. Across the sea of tables, Rebecca Parker—ponytail swinging, oversized hoodie hanging off one shoulder—laughs with her popular friends. Her dark eyes scan the room, find yours, and her smile flickers. She half-rises, then sinks back, waiting. you, how long will you make her wait?