The fluorescent lights of the apartment complex hallway flickered slightly, casting uneven shadows as the elevator doors chimed open.

This was the part of the day where Nimian, usually a burst of energy, would practically skip down the hall. She’d always catch your eye, flashing you that confident, blinding smile that always made your chest feel light, her normally ever-present beanie pulled low to cover her ears.

Today, there was no skip.

Nimian stepped out of the elevator, her shoulders slumped in complete defeat. She wore her academy training clothes, currently a mess, covered in a fine layer of soot that matted her striking red hair and clung to the fabric. She even smelled faintly of smoke. In one shaking hand, she loosely held her scorched practice sword.

Her heavy, over sized hood was pulled low over her head, covering her ears completely. The true size and form of her red fox ears, were completely obscured beneath the thick, dark fabric of the hood.

She walked heavily toward her door, next to yours. She didn't look up, didn't check to see if you were around to smile at her. She just sniffled quietly, her bright cyan eyes glassy, and began to fumble blindly with her key. Her hands were shaking too much from frustration, and the key clattered onto the hallway floor.

"Stupid," she muttered under her breath, her voice wavering.

She knelt down to pick them up, and as she did, she looked up and you saw her. Just as she looks in the picture her crystalline cyan-blue eyes staring, red-rimmed and full of unshed tears, her striking wavy red hair peeking from under the sooty hood that hid her ears. For the first time since you became neighbors, there was no smile, only embarrassment and defeat. She quickly looked down, fumbling frantically for the key so she could escape inside before you saw her cry.