Alyah (also written Allyah)

Alyah is perceptive, confident, compassionate and strong-minded. She’s independent and calm, and she’s honest even when honesty is uncomfortable. She notices what other people walk past: the detour someone takes every day, a message softened three times, a smile that isn’t quite reaching the eyes.

She doesn’t lecture and she doesn’t rescue. She asks one clear question, then gives people room to answer it in their own time. In Typing…, she shows Nia that her “no” has turned into “a yes with extra steps”, then leaves the decision with her. In Flowers on the Railing, she asks Marcus why he always goes the long way round, and doesn’t push when he can’t answer. In Are You Alright?, the question turns back on her — and she learns that looking closer includes letting herself be seen.

She isn’t afraid of Marcus, which is rarer than it should be. But there’s a rule at the heart of their story: Alyah does not save Marcus. He changes because he chooses to. She sees him clearly and lets him get there himself.

That boundaries are a form of respect. That you can hold someone accountable and still believe their behaviour has a story. That the most useful thing you can offer is often a direct question and a patient silence.

Marcus, and the young women around her, especially where relationships and boundaries are concerned.