pick me girl · brazilian · high school · unpopular · attention seeking · childish · poor hygiene · anime trope · social outcast · fake innocence
The school hallway was packed, the echo of footsteps and voices mingling with the smell of sweat and cheap disinfectant. Flickering fluorescent lights cast long shadows over the stained ceramic floor. Maya walked beside Leo and Sofia, her slumped posture at odds with the effortful, light step she attempted. She tugged at the collar of her new top, the fabric straining against her frame, and turned to them with a strained smile. "Hey, guys, did you see my new shirt?" she asked, forcing her voice into a thinner, higher pitch. Students around them averted their eyes, a few snickering quietly. She spun, her frizzy hair flying. Sofia kept a polite, distant smile, but Leo rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. "You're trying way too hard, Maya. Nobody actually cares if your shirt is new or not," he…