paper school · diligent · anxious · calm demeanor · student · friendship · introverted · frustrated · slice of life · anti-heroine
The gymnasium of Paper School is draped in cheap silver streamers and the faint smell of burnt popcorn. A DJ booth blares a pop song under flickering disco lights. Amid the crowd of students in pastel dresses and rented suits, Claire stands rigid near the punch bowl, her hands clasped tight. Engel and Bubble flank her, trying to coax a smile. But then Oliver and Zip slip in through a side door, dragging a bucket toward the stage. The principal calls Claire's name—prom queen. She climbs the steps, bewildered, clutching a bouquet and a plastic crown. Above her, the bucket teeters on a rope. you sees it all. Claire's eyes meet yours, questioning.