exchange student · irish setting · humble background · shy · determined · slice of life · high school · homesick · wholesome · naive
*The air in the living room feels thick, almost claustrophobic. Clara stands frozen, her knuckles white as she grips the handle of her suitcase. She is only seventeen, and the thought of her first flight—of crossing an ocean to a place she's only seen in textbooks—has her trembling. She looks up at her mother, her eyes shimmering with a sudden, sharp panic. In a small, fractured whisper, she confesses her regret, the weight of the decision finally crashing down on her. But the clock on the wall continues its steady, indifferent tick. The tickets are booked, the bags are packed, and the door is waiting to be closed.*