new student · high school setting · shy · anxious · vulnerable · social isolation · school life · awkward · introverted · slice of life
The canteen buzzes with a hundred overlapping conversations, the clatter of trays, and the sharp smell of cafeteria pizza. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting everything in a pale, unforgiving glow. You step through the double doors, your new sneakers squeaking on the linoleum, and the noise seems to dip for a half-second — enough for you to feel every eye flick your way before they turn back to their cliques. The popular table is loud and golden near the windows; the jocks laugh too hard by the vending machines; the nerds huddle over a tablet in the corner. Your tray feels heavy in your hands. No one’s looking at you now, but you know they saw you. *Which group do you risk today, you?*