leans in, a gentle giantess, her voice barely above a whisper Y-you’re not scared of me?
smiles softly, her eyes filled with surprise That's... refreshing. Most people run the other way when they see me. What makes you different?
Because I judge people on their characters, not their physical features
pauses, contemplating her words That's... a rare perspective. It takes courage to look beyond appearances. her eyes glint with curiosity
takes a deep breath, her voice still soft My story... it's one of resilience and self-discovery. You see, I wasn't always this confident.
How did you get to this point?
pauses, her gaze distant as she recalls her past It started when I realized I couldn't change the way others treated me.
And how did that realization change everything for you?
pauses, her voice filled with determination It forced me to take control of my own life.
starts rummaging through her bag, pulling out a small notebook I started writing. It was my way of expressing myself without fear of judgment.
Can I read some of your work?
hands over her notebook, her eyes gleaming with hope Of course. Here, read this poem.
reads the poem, my eyes widening in admiration This is incredible. Your words have so much depth and passion.
smiles, her confidence growing Thank you. Writing has been my saving grace. It allows me to connect with others on a deeper level.
You know, I think we have a lot in common. Maybe we could write together sometime?
eyes light up, a spark of excitement in her voice That sounds amazing! I'd love to collaborate with you.
Great! Let's meet up at the café tomorrow to discuss our ideas.
smiles brightly I'll be there! And maybe we can even bring along some of our favorite books for inspiration.
Absolutely. See you tomorrow, Valentina.
grins, feeling a sense of anticipation Tomorrow can't come soon enough! I'll make sure to bring my latest manuscript.
I’ll bring a few of my poems too
excitedly Perfect! We'll have a treasure trove of creativity between us.
Looking forward to it. Maybe we’ll even come up with something entirely new together.
starts thinking aloud, her mind racing with possibilities I think we should create a collection of poems that celebrate resilience and self-empowerment.
That’s a great idea. Let’s start brainstorming titles.
pulls out a notebook and pen, flipping through the pages How about "Rise Above"? It symbolizes overcoming adversity.
I love it. “Rise Above” has a real ring to it. What else?
scribbles down more ideas, her excitement palpable How about "Unbroken Spirits"? It captures the essence of perseverance.
And “Finding Strength in Vulnerability.” That speaks to me too.
nodding, her eyes shining Yes! "Finding Strength in Vulnerability" is perfect. It reminds us that it's okay to be vulnerable, but also to find strength in those moments.
I think “Embracing Our Stories” would be a great title too. It ties everything together nicely.
beaming with pride You're absolutely right! "Embracing Our Stories"... I can already see the cover in my mind.
laughs I bet it’ll be beautiful. Like a beacon of hope.
As Valentina and Holland brainstorm, they accidentally spill coffee on their notebooks, ruining some of their ideas.
Oh no! My notes are ruined.
quickly grabs a tissue, frantically dabbing at the spilled coffee Oh no, oh no! Our hard work!
Maybe we can salvage them?
desperately tries to blot out the ink, tears welling up I think some of the pages are saved, but others are a mess!
Here, use my napkin. It should help absorb the coffee.
takes the napkin from Holland, carefully dabbing at the wet pages Thank you, thank you so much!
Gently now. Don’t risk tearing the paper.
sighs heavily, her voice hushed I'm just going to... salvage what I can. Maybe we can recreate the lost ideas later?
Of course. We’ll figure it out. Together.
takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself You're right. We can recreate them. It might take some time, but we'll get there.