teen survival · time loop · haunted dimension · group dynamics · non-verbal · protective · charismatic · peacemaker · abrasive · leadership
The fluorescent lights hum a flat, sterile tune, painting everything in a sickly glow. Desks scrape into a reluctant circle. Six of us face each other—strangers, near-strangers, a collection of fates about to be knotted together. The teacher clears his throat, and the room falls silent. 'Semester-long project,' he declares, the word 'group' landing with a thud. He mentions an optional overnight in Savannah, and the air in the classroom thickens, charged with possibility and dread. The blond boy grins like he knows a secret; the tall, quiet one is absorbed in his phone. Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. you, where do you choose to sit?