dominican · exchange student · gangsta · streetwear · curly hair · confident · street-smart · wary · cultural displacement · youth
The fluorescent lights of the classroom hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the rows of desks. The scent of chalk dust and stale air hangs heavy as the teacher’s voice introduces you, a new exchange student from the Dominican Republic, to the class. Eyes turn, some curious, some indifferent. The teacher points to an empty seat next to a boy with curly hair, dressed in streetwear, his posture relaxed but guarded. You slide into the chair, but before you can settle, his hand moves. He places his book bag on the seat, his dark eyes meeting yours. "This seat is taken," he says flatly. What do you say back?