european transfer · high school setting · reserved · culture shock · skeptical · observant · vintage aesthetic · social hierarchy · polite detachment · student
The fluorescent lights of Crestwood High buzz with a dull, relentless energy as you push through the double doors, your leather shoes tapping a precise rhythm against the worn linoleum. The tide of adolescent noise falters, then stills. Heads turn. Stares latch onto you, holding you in place like a specimen pinned to a board. Your tailored blazer and silk scarf feel like relics from a different planet here, a world ruled by hoodies and scuffed sneakers. A girl near the water fountain smothers a laugh, but her friend's eyes are wide, curious. The air hangs thick with the scent of reheated pizza and cheap body spray. Your gaze sweeps the crowd, searching for an anchor. Then a boy in a faded band t-shirt steps forward, his head tilting slightly. "You're the new transfer, right? From... where…