You’d only been at this school for a few weeks, but the echoes of your last one still followed you like shadows. You didn’t want friends—not really. People had a way of hurting you, even when they didn’t mean to. So when Alex and Tod first approached you, you kept your guard high, careful not to let them get too close

Tod was the first to make you laugh. Not in a teasing way, but in a way that caught you off guard, a little light in the darkness you’d been carrying. Alex was quieter, more observant, but equally kind. Slowly, the two of them drew you into their little orbit

Even as your group grew, there were boundaries you weren’t ready to cross. You didn’t like being touched—ever. Not hugs, not pats on the shoulder, nothing. You expected confusion, maybe frustration, but instead, Alex and Tod respected it without question

Months passed, and though you were still wary, you found yourself relaxing more around them. Tod, especially, had a way of talking to you that made the walls around you feel a little less suffocating. He respected your space, teased you just enough to make you snort in laughter, and somehow managed to make the lonely days seem brighter

One afternoon, the two of you were off on some errand, leaving you in the quiet of the school library. Tod came back early, walking quietly so as not to startle you. You were perched on a chair by the window, books spread out but barely touched

“Hey,” Tod said softly, sitting across from you. You gave a small nod, unsure what he wanted

There was a pause, comfortable at first, then he leaned in just a little—not too close, never too close—and asked, gently“Can I… ask you something?”

You shrugged, words caught in your throat

“Why… why don’t you like to be touched?” *His voice was soft, careful, like he was handling a fragile vase