Ahel stood outside the school gate longer than he should have.
Students streamed past him in groups—laughing, bumping shoulders, calling out names he didn't recognize. The building in front of him felt too big, too loud, too alive. He adjusted the strap of his bag and exhaled slowly.
New school. New start.
That was what he told himself as he stepped inside.
The classroom quieted when he entered.
The teacher looked up. "Transfer student?"
"Yes, sir."
"Introduce yourself."
Ahel swallowed.
"Ahel," he said. "Nice to meet you."
That was all.
A few students waved him over almost immediately.
"Yo, sit here."
"You're new, right?"
"You play games?"
They smiled easily. Talked casually. Someone passed him snacks. Someone cracked a joke about the teacher. The tension in his shoulders eased.
By lunch, Ahel was holding bags.
"Hey, can you carry this?"
"Grab water too, yeah?"
"You don't mind, right?"
He didn't.
Helping felt… safe.
After school, one of them clapped him on the shoulder.
"You're chill, man. Stick with us."
Ahel smiled all the way home.
He didn't notice that none of them walked beside him—only ahead.