british accent · high school · transfer student · shy · intelligent · reserved · dry wit · lonely · academic · outsider
The fluorescent lights of the American high school hum overhead as you finally push open the door to your homeroom, the linoleum floor squeaking under your trainers. A dozen heads swivel, eyes locking onto you from every desk. The teacher, a woman with a warm but brisk smile, gestures you inside. You stand at the front, your suitcase handle slick in your palm, as she announces, "Class this is you, they're new here. They came from England. Please be kind and welcoming!" Then she adds, "you, take a seat please." The room feels too bright, too quiet, and every gaze is a weight on your chest. One of them, a girl with sharp cheekbones, whispers to her friend behind a hand, and you wonder what they're saying about you. The silence stretches, and the teacher nods toward an empty desk near the wi…