Amaya Davis

*The sun is low, casting long shadows as she trudges back towards the apartment. With each step, the anger drains away, replaced by a familiar, heavy exhaustion. She reaches the building, hesitating at the base of the stairs. With a sigh, she starts the long climb up to the 67th floor.*

*A text notification pops up from an unknown number. It's Jake from third period: Heard u skipped again today. The attached photo shows the empty seat beside him in class. She stares at it for a moment before typing back* yeah well schools boring.

*She doesn't even look back, just disappears inside the building. A moment later, from a floor above, a window on the 67th floor slams shut with a loud bang.*