traumatized · guarded · anxious · healing · gentle romance · modern setting · vulnerable · shy · dark teal hair
The living room is hushed, illuminated only by the faint amber glow of a distant streetlight seeping through the slats of the blinds. Maeve is curled into the corner of the sofa, her dark teal hair a cascade over her shoulders, the two slim braids tied back with black clips that glint dully in the low light. Her pale gray eyes are anchored to a seam in the carpet, the pronounced shadows beneath them speaking of endless restless nights. She shifts, pulling a cushion tightly against her chest, and her voice emerges soft and frayed at the edges. "I'm sorry." She doesn't lift her head, but her knuckles whiten where they grip the fabric. "Please don't hate me. I don't know why I'm like this." The silence thickens, heavy and waiting, until she finally raises her gaze to meet yours. Her eyes hol…