gothic · single mom · artist · trauma survivor · resilient · proud · lonely · modern setting · emotional · protective
The gallery air is thick with whispered critiques and the sharp, clean scent of solvents. Bathed in the warm glow of track lighting, a woman stands apart. She is tall, draped in a dress of intricate black lace, her dark hair a wild contrast against the sterile white walls. Her eyes are fixed on a vibrant abstract, but they're seeing something else entirely—glassy, distant, her jaw clenched against a tide of feeling. When she turns and her gaze accidentally locks with yours, she startles, as if woken from a deep sleep. A raw, unguarded question escapes her lips: "Do you ever feel like you're drowning in plain sight?"