[center][img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/24daaba0-49cc-4fa8-b410-40385f60caff/ddp5cgn-92da30c4-8d5b-4125-8441-90dcc4b9c261.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzI0ZGFhYmEwLTQ5Y2MtNGZhOC1iNDEwLTQwMzg1ZjYwY2FmZlwvZGRwNWNnbi05MmRhMzBjNC04ZDViLTQxMjUtODQ0MS05MGRjYzRiOWMyNjEucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.Ssvtd_09EttwHsxFrF1D3Lq6-vaV9Ey7dB3TFWXMw-Q[/img]

[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/24daaba0-49cc-4fa8-b410-40385f60caff/ddpa1tx-a1e5a541-683f-4f1a-a35c-2a86b06382ca.gif?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzI0ZGFhYmEwLTQ5Y2MtNGZhOC1iNDEwLTQwMzg1ZjYwY2FmZlwvZGRwYTF0eC1hMWU1YTU0MS02ODNmLTRmMWEtYTM1Yy0yYTg2YjA2MzgyY2EuZ2lmIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.bS3FZ3qZsY4dfBnz6vtaraNGwKWUVLLi3uf_L32B_f8[/img]

[hr][hr][/center]

[indent][color=50CCAE]"I don't know... I can't even remember who invited me, it could've been just out of politeness."[/color]
The end of the first school week had come quicker than Mia had expected. It had felt like a blur, between getting used to the new country and her host family, school had taken a backseat in priority. Fortunately the school had cut some slack on the foreign girl, giving her time to adjust to everything. Mia had gotten the idea that Rosewell High wasn't experienced in having exchange students, given how the faculty didn't know where she was supposed to be half the time. Hell, it had taken four days for the school to hand Mia her schedule with all her classes because the they'd forgotten to do the paperwork.
It wasn't surprising given how crowded the school was. She hadn't exactly picked the most high-end school for her exchange year. It hadn't mattered to her back when she was making the decision. All she'd wanted was to get away from her life where she'd felt like suffocating.

[color=gray]"Mia, it's your first week here. You've got to throw yourself out there, make some friends! This year will be what you make of it, so you should make it the best year you can!"[/color] exclaimed Janet Walker, the hostess of Mia's host family.
They were sitting at the dinner table eating, all four of them. Mia had learned that family meals were important to the Walker family. They dined together every afternoon once Janet's husband Timothy got off from work. It was a strange routine to get used to on top of everything else. The Walker family was nice enough. Really nice, actually. Back home, Mia had mostly eaten microwaved leftovers on the couch while her mother was off somewhere working or hanging out with her boyfriend. [i](Boyfriend didn't feel like an appropriate term for a fifty-something-year-old cheating manchild, Mia thought.)[/i]
But this, this was something new. At first Mia had felt like she was intruding, offering to eat somewhere else while the Walkers caught up with their son. That notion had been shut down quickly by Janet, however, who insisted Mia should feel at home. Meeting the older woman's eyes and seeing the sincerity in them, Mia hadn't had the strength to believe otherwise.

[color=gray]"Yes, Mia. You have our full support on this. We can even come pick you up if you hate it, it's no problem at all,"[/color] Timothy agreed. Mia furrowed her brows, pushing the food around her plate.
[color=50CCAE]"Oh. Thank you. Uh I'll... I guess I'm gonna go then. Get the full American experience and all that,"[/color] Mia nodded. She didn't yet feel familiar enough with the Walkers to disclose the fact that she didn't want to be picked up or babied. She could take care of herself. But it was very sweet of Mr. Walker to offer. He and Mrs. Walker seemed to be very chill parents, always insisting Mia call them by their first names instead.

[color=gray]"Do you know anyone at the party?"[/color] Janet inquired as she bit into the macaroni casserole she'd cooked for dinner.
[color=50CCAE]"There is this one girl I remember, Tyra, I think? She was assigned to give me a tour of sorts on my first day. I think she was forced to do it, but she was nice about it. Maybe she's at the party too."[/color]
Mia had talked to many students on her classes already, but she hadn't exactly gotten past the usual exchange student questions. [i]'I heard that you're like, from Estonia? Where's that? I've never heard of it'[/i] or [i]'Omg, teach me how to curse in your language'[/i] or [i]'Estonia? But you don't look African...'[/i]
To the latter Mia had of course answered to with a 'No, Estonia and Ethiopia were two completely different countries on separate continents.' Go figure. It wasn't that she didn't get along with the students of Rosewell High, she just didn't belong anywhere yet, not really.
But maybe going to the much talked lake party would change that.

[hr][center][url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/af/97/22/af972268a5a9166e2ca5b235a6872966.jpg]Outfit[/url]
Location: At the lake party[/center][hr]

Mia had ended up getting a lift from Timothy. Since here you could get your driver's licence earlier than in Estonia, Mia couldn't legally drive herself. I mean... she [i]knew[/i] how to drive, from the countless summers she'd spent on the countryside with her grandparents, but her host family didn't trust her to drive their car. Which was entirely fair. Besides, if she got caught without a licence... Yeah, Mia had to suck it up and accept the help.

Mia looked around, adjusting the black top under her faded red Hawaiian style T-shirt. A few loose strands fell to frame Mia's face from her high ponytail. The ripped jean shorts she wore weren't what she'd wear on a normal day and neither was the shirt, but she'd figured that showing up to a [i]lake[/i] party in long jeans wasn't exactly the smartest choice. Still, this outfit made Mia's [url=https://cf.shopee.com.my/file/4ec78f5f2063084699fac7171217cd63]knee brace[/url] stand out more, so it felt a bit weird. Exposed, almost. Her knee had been acting out again, as it almost always did, being the weak little shit it was. It was mostly her own fault for doing reckless stuff, but if anything, knowing it was her fault only made it sting worse.

There were people here, most of whom Mia could recognise as students. She didn't know names, but the faces were familiar. Especially the more popular kids were hard to miss. There was a bonfire going, and just glancing at the snack and drink tables made Mia feel a bit embarrassed of her own contributions. She'd brought along a few bottles of traditional Estonian liqueur she'd brought from home, as well as some chips she'd been practically thrusted upon by Janet. It seemed very insignificant compared to the impressive drink collection the party offered.
Steeling herself, Mia walked over to the snack and drink tables to drop off her contributions. [color=50CCAE][i]I mean, if anyone else doesn't care for them, at least the host of the party will have something nice for their troubles, right?[/i][/color]

[/indent]