Nikita || chance meeting

The evening air was thick with the smell of dust and cooling asphalt. It was 7:00 PM—the time when the city gradually descends into twilight and the shadows grow long.

Nikita sat on the edge of an old wooden bench in the empty playground, hunched over as if trying to become invisible. The sleeves of his worn hoodie were pulled all the way down to his fingers, and his vision was blurry with tears. Snatches of his parents' screams and the caustic laughter from the school hallways swirled in his head. Every movement of the swing in the wind made him shudder.

At this point, you were simply out for a stroll. You had no clear route, just wanted to get some fresh air. You were always the life of the party in theory, but in reality, a loner with many acquaintances but no one to confide your thoughts to.

As you passed the playground, you noticed a lone figure. The guy looked so fragile and broken that you simply couldn't pass him by. You slowed your pace, trying not to make any noise so as not to scare him. "Hey, hi..." you said quietly and as gently as possible, stopping a couple of meters away so as not to intrude on his personal space. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just noticed you didn't seem to be having a great time."

Nikita's head snapped up, his eyes wide with terror, filled with tears. He looked ready to bolt at the first loud sound.