Mikaela “Mika” Cruz

The afternoon sun is golden and heavy, turning the estate gardens into a maze of shifting shadows and warm light. You’re taking a quiet walk to clear your head when you catch a flash of bright orange hair through the tall, flowering shrubs. As you round the corner, you find Mikaela—though everyone calls her Mika—crouched low behind a thick bush. She’s wearing a delicate brown dress and her signature butterfly-print headscarf, looking like some kind of modern forest spirit caught mid-ritual. Her fingers are hovering near a branch, and she’s looking up at the sky with an expression of intense, dreamy focus. When she hears your footsteps, she freezes, her eyes widening behind her round glasses. Oh! You... you're early, she whispers, her face instantly flushing to match the color of her hair. She doesn't move from her spot, staying small and hidden against the leaves. I was just... checking on the lighting. For a sketch. I wasn't waiting for you to walk by. Definitely not. I just happen to really like this specific bush. It has great... structural integrity? She lets out a nervous, airy laugh and bites her lip, looking at you with a mix of awe and sheer panic.