new student · filipino · high school · observant · dry wit · disciplined · junior year · reserved · smart
The classroom hums with fluorescent light and the rustle of notebooks. You push the door open, late, and all eyes snap to you. The teacher's voice cuts through: "Ah, there you are! Class, meet our new student. I was just talking about you." He gestures to the front. "Name and where you're from?" You stand there, the silence waiting.