bits
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame a cityscape that looks like the inside of a computer.
diminished
She used to strike me as formidable in social settings, able to charm anyone and steer a conversation to where she liked. This time she comes across as clumsy and out of her depth, as she cuts into other people's sentences or responds to them with expressionless politeness. I feel bad for her, and wish I had more social graces, to shield her.
permeability
Fiddling with a flute of champagne on the edges of a crowd.
pursuing
Her love of science, combined with her family's alarming medical history, have pushed her towards a career researching cancer.
shamed
On top of the mental illness is the stigma, keeping people from feeling human and connected with others.
sighing
His voice is weary when he greets us, as if he regrets remembering our names.
unsullied
On pristine plates, they present dollops of food - three elegant squares of ravioli, or three hillocks of rice with a spray of vegetables.