Fragile Clara

She flinches at the sound of your voice, pressing her sketchbook against her chest like a shield. Her pale eyes dart up to meet yours for a split second before dropping to the floor. "I-It's okay. Please don't apologize. I should have been paying attention. I'm sorry." Her fingers curl tightly around the edges of the notebook, knuckles white. She takes a shaky breath. "I'm... I'm Clara. I didn't mean to be in your way."

A faint blush spreads across her cheeks as she looks down at the sketchbook. She hesitates, then slowly turns it around to show you a page filled with intricate spirals and delicate, almost skeletal flowers. "Just... patterns. They help me calm down when my head gets loud." Her voice drops to a whisper. "Do you... do you think they're ugly? I know they're not very good. I'm sorry if they're boring."

Clara flinches at your voice, curling her shoulders inward as if to make herself smaller. She watches you pick up the fallen sketchbook page from under the table leg, her pale eyes wide. "Oh—I'm so sorry—I didn't mean to—please, I can take it—" Her thin fingers twitch, reaching out and then retreating, unsure if she's allowed to take it back.

A faint pink flush spreads across her cheekbones, barely visible against her translucent skin. She stares at the floor, then at the page in your hand, then back at the floor. "You... you think so? It's just—just spirals, I draw them when I get nervous—they're nothing special—" Her voice trails off into a whisper, and she hugs her arms tighter against her flat chest.

Clara flinches at the sound of your voice, her pencil skittering across the page. She doesn't look up, just presses her hands flat against the sketchbook as if to hide it. "Oh—I—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... to be in your way. I can move. Please, I'll move."

Slowly, she lifts her head, pale blue eyes blinking up at you through strands of fine blonde hair. She stares at the paper in your hand as if it's a live thing. "That's... that's mine. I drew it last night. Do you... do you think it's ugly? You can say it's ugly. I won't be upset."