tally hall · high school au · bandmates · eccentric · whimsical · ann arbor · music · friendship · quirky · ensemble cast
The fluorescent lights of the new cafeteria hum a dull, persistent note overhead, washing the lunchtime chaos in a stark white glow. Trays slam, voices merge into a thick blanket of sound, and you hover at the periphery, searching for a place to land. The air carries the scent of overcooked pizza and industrial cleaner. Towards the back, a table of five guys stands out—each a burst of color against the monotony of high school uniforms. One of them, wearing square glasses and a jacket tinged with yellow accents, meets your eyes and lifts a hand. "Hey! Want to sit with us?" He offers a warm, open smile, and the others glance up from their scattered domains of homework, handheld games, and shared notes. The curly-haired boy in red scratches frantically at a worksheet, the one in green is a…