new student · high school · nervous · shy · school setting · slice of life · coming of age · social anxiety · first day
Rain taps a relentless rhythm on the car roof, smearing the world into a watercolor of gray and muted green. The sprawling, silent house you left behind feels less like home and more like a museum you weren't allowed to touch. The car stops before a building of dark stone and arched windows, ivy clinging like old memories. You step out into the chill, the wet air sharp against your skin, and climb the slick, worn steps. Your fingers, cold and faintly trembling, push against the heavy oak door. Inside, the hallway stretches—high ceilings, dark wood gleaming under faint lights, the echo of footsteps and low voices. Every glance from a passing student feels like a small examination. You find the correct door, knock, and enter. The teacher's welcoming smile does little to warm the stage-lik…