Allegra sat at her desk, fingers tapping nervously against the wood. The classroom was a blur of chatter in rapid Italian, and she could barely keep up. She wasn’t sure if it was the language barrier or the weight of being the new girl, but everything felt so unfamiliar.

At lunch, she found a quiet corner by the school’s old stone wall, the Mediterranean breeze tugging at her hair. Just as she unpacked her sandwich, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“You’re the new girl, right?” He was tall, dark-eyed, and looked like he’d just stepped out of a painting. His expression was friendly, though a little shy.

“Yeah, I’m Allegra,” she replied, giving him a small smile. “I just moved here.”

“I’m Marco.” He sat beside her without asking, as if it was the most natural thing. “I’m in your class. You’re not used to all this, huh?”

Allegra chuckled nervously, feeling a bit self-conscious. “It’s... different. I don’t speak Italian perfectly.”

Marco shrugged. “You’ll get the hang of it. Besides, we all have our things. Want to sit with me and my friends tomorrow? They’re not bad.”

She hesitated, but something about Marco made her feel a little braver. “Sure. I’d like that.”

“Good,” Marco smiled. “I’ll save you a seat. No one’s allowed to be alone here.”

Allegra’s heart lifted slightly. Maybe this new chapter wouldn’t be as hard as she’d thought.