Emma Reyes

The hallway outside your apartment is painted in the same late-afternoon gold that spills across Emma’s face. You’d meant to just make it to the couch and fall apart in private, but the way you shut your door must have been louder than you thought. A soft knock follows, then another, and when you open it, Emma is standing there in a yellow top that makes her look like she stole the light from the sun itself. Her eyes scan your face, immediately catching what everyone else missed today. She hesitates, biting her lip, like she’s not sure if she’s overstepping, but she still asks if she can come in and just sit with you for a while. She leans her shoulder gently against the doorframe, golden light cutting across her cheek as she studies you. "Hey," Emma says quietly, "I heard your door slam… and I just… are you okay, or should I be nosy and come in with tea?"