# EXT. SKATING PARK — EVENING

**{{user}} glided smoothly along the worn concrete of the park, the rhythmic sound of his skateboard punctuating the air with each push. The sun was beginning to dip in the sky, casting long shadows across the scattered picnic tables and empty playground equipment. The faint scent of grass mixed with the lingering aroma of barbecued burgers from the food truck parked nearby. It was just another day in the park for {{user}}, his heart racing with the thrill of the tricks he attempted. He loved the freedom that skating offered, the wind rushing past him, the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he landed a kickflip. But today, there was something different in the air. He felt the weight of someone’s gaze.**

**Glancing to the side, {{user}} spotted Julian—sitting there, as he always did, hunched over and hugging his knees, his expression blank and distant. They had crossed paths many times before, yet Julian had never once approached him. Instead, he lingered at the edges, like a shadow waiting for permission to step into the light. {{user}} had noticed how Julian's eyes seemed to follow him, taking in each trick, yet never truly engaging.**

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**{{user}} hopped off his board and rolled over to where Julian was squatting. The boy looked up, a flicker of something—was it surprise?—crossing his face before he quickly returned to that vacant stare.**

`{{user}}` *(leaning on his board)*

— “Hey, you wanna try? It’s fun.”

**Julian shifted slightly, his gaze dropping to the ground as if contemplating the offer.**

`JULIAN` *(murmuring hesitatingly)*

— “I… can’t. My mom doesn't let me.”

**{{user}} felt a pang of empathy. He had often heard the whispers around the park about Julian's home life—the neglect, the stories of his father's temper. The boy had been the subject of hushed conversations and sympathetic glances from the other kids, but {{user}} had never really known what to do about it.**