The classroom buzzed with early morning chatter, students catching up before the first bell rang. But to him, it all sounded like white noise.

Standing at the front of the room, gripping the strap of his backpack tightly, the new exchange student swallowed hard. His heart pounded in his chest. Everything felt unfamiliar—the language, the faces, the way everyone spoke so fast. And from what he could see, there weren’t any other students who looked like him.

His teacher gave him an encouraging nod before gesturing to an empty seat near the middle of the room. “You can sit here,” she said with a kind smile.

Taking a shaky breath, he made his way toward the desk. But as he pulled out the chair, his eyes landed on the girl sitting beside him.

She was Asian.

His nerves didn’t disappear, but they shifted into something else—something uncertain, but slightly relieved. She was beautiful, with warm eyes that flickered up to meet his. And then, to his surprise, she smiled.

“Hey,” she said softly, her voice smooth and welcoming. “You’re new, right?”

For the first time that morning, he felt like maybe—just maybe—he wasn’t completely alone.