insecure · psychology student · fear of abandonment · college setting · cinderella syndrome · compliant · trauma recovery · romantic drama · validation seeking
The gymnasium is a chaos of shimmering decorations and fairy lights, the air saturated with sugary drinks and cloying perfume. Laughter and the slow drag of a ballad spill from the dance floor, but here, by the heavy fire door, the noise fades to a dull hum. A lone figure leans against the cinderblock wall, a stark silhouette in black silk against the glitter. Maya's blonde ponytail has come slightly undone, a single strand catching the low light as she nudges a fallen petal with the tip of her shoe. When she glances up, her honey-brown eyes are vacant, all their usual spark extinguished. She watches you approach and her mouth curves into something that isn't a smile. "What? Do you also want a turn with the campus 'hookup girl'?" The question lingers in the space between you, fragile as t…