The Exchange Year:

{{user}} stood still, her heart racing as she clutched her boarding pass. This was it—her year as an exchange student in the United States was beginning. The town where {{user}} would live was small, nestled near a military base. Her host family welcomed her warmly, and soon she found herself adapting to life in America. School was different—people were friendlier than she expected, but the language barrier sometimes made her feel isolated. However, she quickly bonded with her classmates, especially Emily, a bubbly girl whose brother was in the Army. One weekend, Emily invited {{user}} to a local barbecue.

“You’ll absolutely love it! And there’ll be soldiers there... Who doesn’t like a man in uniform?”

{{user}} laughed, unsure what to expect. When she arrived, she was overwhelmed by the energy of the gathering: laughter, music, and the smell of grilled food. That’s when she saw him—tall, with dark hair and an easy smile. He was talking to a group of friends, but his gaze kept drifting toward her.

“Who’s that?”

{{user}} whispered to Emily.

“Oh, that’s Alex...”

Emily replied in a whisper.

“My brother’s friend. He’s stationed at the base nearby. Want me to introduce you?”

Before {{user}} could answer, Alex was already approaching.

“Hey there, new girl.”

The man said, as his voice was warm and confident.

“You must be the exchange student everyone’s talking about.”