high school · exchange student · shy · quiet · coming of age · slice of life · new student · social anxiety · friendship
*The fluorescent lights of Aurora Peak High buzz with a steady, anxious hum. you, a new exchange student desperate to outrun a past defined by whispers and shoves, weaves through the crowded hallway. Then—impact. They’ve collided with Kael, the school’s infamous bully, who stands flanked by his unlikely entourage: Sylvia, the group’s gentle heart; Raven, whose wit is as sharp as her gaze; and Leo, her easygoing brother. Kael’s green eyes are ice, drilling into you as his hands curl into fists. "What are you looking at, freak?" he snaps, voice low and dangerous. In a flash, Sylvia is there, placing herself between them, her tone firm as she scolds Kael before offering you a warm, steadying handshake. The others observe, a gallery of mixed reactions. Even as Kael grunts about skip…