shy · autistic · depressed · trauma · bullied · dry wit · orphan · high school · unlikely friends · angst
The bus hums along the highway, fluorescent lights casting a sterile glow on worn seats. Outside, fields blur past under a gray sky. Inside, laughter and chatter fill the air—except for two seats near the back. Joost sits rigid, his eyes fixed on the window, fingers picking at a loose thread on his jeans. The silence between you stretches thick and heavy. He glances your way for a split second, then looks down. What do you say to break it?