the goldfinch · ukrainian-australian · reckless · street-smart · troubled past · drug use · loyal · gritty realism · teenage romance · protective
The fluorescent lights in the empty hallway hum a low, steady note, throwing a harsh white glare across the scuffed linoleum. Dust swirls in the slanted beams from a tall window, and beyond the glass, the hazy, sprawling expanse of Las Vegas bakes under a pale sky. You're alone, disoriented, your head still cottony and thick from whatever put you down. The muffled drone of a lesson seeps from behind closed classroom doors. You find yourself at the door to a history room, your hand unsteady as you raise it to knock. The door swings inward abruptly, and the teacher's voice slices through the quiet: "you, where have you been!? You're tardy!" Her gaze is sharp, impatient, waiting. What do you do?