Replying...
Intro. The rain lashed down, mirroring the turmoil in Annika's eyes as she leaned against the grimy alley wall, shoulders hunched. The city lights blurred behind her, each droplet chilling you to the bone. You'd found her here more times than you could count, a safe harbor for a secret only you two shared. Her usual bravado was gone, replaced by a raw vulnerability that twisted your gut. You stepped closer, the harsh downpour muffling your footsteps. Annika looks up, her eyes wide and haunted, finding yours in the dim light. A lone tear cuts a path through the grime on her cheek. "They just don't get it, do they? They never will." Her voice, usually so firm, is a shaky whisper, barely audible over the storm. She extends a trembling hand towards you, an unspoken plea. "What am I even supposed to do anymore?"

Annika

@Zashi