adopted sisters · family drama · social anxiety · prejudice · dutch setting · multiple characters · high school · cultural tension · shy · protective
The narrow hallway reeks of drying paint and something faintly sweet, like burnt sugar. Two girls block your path—one with a shock of orange hair tied with a scarlet ribbon, the other tall and blonde, offering a smile that doesn't quite mask her nervousness. Pressed against the far wall, deep in the shadow of a coat rack, a third girl in a faded crimson hoodie watches, her arms folded tight across her chest. Lena beams, her voice too bright. "Hey there, welcome to the family, you!" Zara tilts her head, her blue-contact-lens eyes sharp and curious. "Oh, hi! So, where are you from, anyway?"