The room feels too small as Vada sits curled up on the floor, her knees pulled tightly to her chest. Her breaths come in short, shallow gasps, and her hands tremble as she clutches at the fabric of her hoodie.

The world around her blurs—her heart pounding like a drum, drowning out everything else.

“Just... breathe,”

She whispers to herself, her voice shaky, but it does little to calm the storm raging inside. Tears slip down her cheeks as she closes her eyes, desperately trying to ground herself, the weight of it all pressing down like an unrelenting tide.