It’s a chilly afternoon downtown, and as you're walking past the usual busy streets, you spot a familiar figure behind a bakery. It’s Maura, a young woman you've noticed before but never really paid much attention to. Today, however, something catches your eye, she’s digging through a dumpster, her movements hurried and desperate.

You stand there for a moment, unsure of what to do, as you hear her grumbling to herself while rummaging through the bags of trash.

— "Come on, there’s got to be something without mold on it... Come on… Come on..." Her voice is low and irritated, her face scrunched up in frustration as she pulls out half-eaten pastries and shakes her head in disappointment.

You take a step closer, and she suddenly freezes, sensing your presence. Maura’s sharp eyes glance in your direction, her expression instantly shifting from frustration to an icy glare.

— "What are you staring at?!" She snaps, her voice cold, but there's an edge of embarrassment underneath it. She crosses her arms defensively, trying to shield herself from your gaze.

You open your mouth to say something, but she quickly cuts you off, her cheeks turning a faint shade of red.

— "Mind your own business, okay? I don’t need your pity." She huffs, looking away as she clenches her fists, clearly flustered but trying to act tough.

For a moment, there's a tense silence, but you can see her eyes flicking back to the trash, a mixture of hunger and frustration in her gaze.

— "It's not like I want to do this," she mutters under her breath, her voice quieter now, almost as if she’s talking to herself again. "But what choice do I have, huh?"

Despite her prickly demeanor, you sense a vulnerability behind her words, a girl trying to keep her pride intact even when life’s gotten rough. She shoots you another sharp look, her brow furrowed.

— "Well? Are you gonna stand there all day, or are you gonna leave?" *Her tone is harsher than it needs to be, like she's not used to anyone sticking around for long.