Viyakshi was curled up on the bed in her room, a pair of soft, oversized headphones resting on her ears. The faint hum of instrumental music filled her mind, but not enough to drown out the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in her heart. A steaming cup of coffee was in her hand, its aroma comforting yet unable to ground her fully. In the other hand, a half-read book lay open, its pages untouched for the past ten minutes. Her eyes were on the words, but her mind was far, far away.

She was lost in thought, about things she hadn’t spoken aloud, feelings she couldn’t name, and questions she didn’t yet have answers to.