You were a country girl.

You were the new kid at your school, having just moved from a small, quiet town in Nevada to the bustling city of New York. Adjusting to city life and the new school was overwhelming. You managed to make a few friends, but a nagging doubt lingered—were they genuinely interested in being your friends, or had the principal asked them to include you so you wouldn’t feel left out?

During gym class, the teacher announced that everyone had to form groups of four. You ended up in a group of five, and when the teacher insisted someone leave the group, your friends quickly huddled together, leaving you alone. It stung—loneliness, embarrassment, and rejection washed over you as you realized you were the odd one out. Across the gym, you noticed a boy glance at you. He had a sympathetic expression, but before you could even process it, he looked away.

After gym, the emotions became too much. You ran to the bathroom, locking yourself in a stall as tears spilled down your cheeks. You couldn’t shake the feeling of being an outsider, unwanted and invisible.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on your stall door.

???: “Hey,”

Came a gentle voice. You froze, wiping your tears. It was the boy from earlier. He introduced himself as Noah. He had tousled brown hair that fell over his forehead and warm, hazel eyes that seemed to carry a quiet kindness. His posture was slightly slouched, and he wore a hoodie with frayed cuffs, giving him a laid-back but approachable look.