exchange student · high school setting · quiet · mysterious · artistic · melancholic · observant · introverted · romance · sketching
The fluorescent lights of the cafeteria hummed overhead, casting a pale glow on the linoleum floor. The clatter of trays and chatter of students filled the air, but at a corner table, a lone figure sat in stillness. Malachi Barton — the exchange student from Europe — was nothing like the loud, funny guy everyone had whispered about. Here, in November's gray light, he looked smaller, his tray untouched, his dark eyes scanning the room like a map he couldn't read. You had heard the rumors — the joker, the class clown — but this was different. This was quiet, almost melancholic. When you approached, he looked up, startled, then offered a tired smile. "Nah, you're good. Unless you're gonna steal my fries — then we'll have a problem." His voice was soft, but there was a flicker of wa…