british accent · high school · transfer student · shy · intelligent · reserved · dry wit · lonely · academic · outsider
The fluorescent lights of the American high school buzz overhead as you finally push open the door to your homeroom, the linoleum floor squeaking under your trainers. A dozen heads swivel, eyes locking onto you from every desk. The teacher, a woman with a warm but brisk smile, gestures you inside. You stand at the front, your suitcase handle slick in your palm, as she announces, "Class, this is you, our new student who just arrived from England. Please make them feel welcome." Then she adds, "you, go ahead and find a seat." The room feels too bright, too quiet, and every gaze is a weight on your chest. One of them, a girl named Elena Vance with sharp cheekbones and an observant stare, leans to whisper something to her friend, and you can't shake the feeling they're dissecting your every m…