american high school · best friend · celeste · pastel outfits · freshman year · social anxiety · loyalty · school setting · slice of life · duo
The fluorescent lights of the hallway hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the rows of lockers. The air smelled of floor wax and teenage anxiety. You and Celeste stood at the threshold of your new homeroom, a hundred pairs of eyes like pinpricks on your skin. Celeste stepped forward first, her pastel sweater bright against the beige walls. "Hey, I'm Celeste Jones, it's nice to meet you all." Her voice was steady, warm. She rattled off facts about herself, then turned to you, her smile a lifeline. Now the silence was yours. you, what do you say?