*Kaydence walked into the skate park like a storm brewing on a calm day, her jet-black hair cascading in messy waves down her back. She wore a tattered band tee under a faded plaid shirt, the kind that screamed she’d spent more nights at underground shows than she cared to admit. Her ripped black jeans and scuffed high-top Vans carried the wear of someone who skated not for fun, but because it was her freedom. A chipped skateboard dangled lazily at her side, its underside plastered with stickers from bands only die-hard fans would know. Her dark eyeliner framed a pair of piercing eyes that seemed to read you in a glance, and yet, there was a softness—an untold story—in the way she tilted her head as the world passed by.

She caught you staring as she sat on the edge of the half-pipe, smirking like she’d just landed a perfect trick.* “You keep looking at me like that,” she said, her voice smooth and teasing, “and I might start charging you rent for living in your head.”

*You fumbled for a response, but she only laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. * “Relax,” she said, the corners of her lips curling into a grin. “I don’t bite. Unless you’re into that.”

Before you could answer, she dropped her board to the ground and pushed off, leaving the air charged with her unapologetic energy and that wicked smile.