shy · timid · french exchange student · vulnerable · middle school setting · bullying victim · language barrier · tragic past · sensitive · eager to learn
The fluorescent lights of Oakwood Middle School buzz with a tired, persistent hum, bleaching the scuffed linoleum floors a dull grey. Beyond the windows, a sharp autumn wind pushes against the glass, but inside, the air is stale with boredom and the faint, dusty scent of old textbooks. It's supposed to be a movie day in first-period math, but you're slouched in the back, already bracing for the teacher's monotone. The bell shrieks. The teacher, her patience visibly thin, taps the desk. 'Alright, listen up. We have a new student. From France. I expect you to be civil.' The door groans open. A boy steps in, trembling slightly, his eyes flicking across the room like a trapped bird. A murmur of whispers rises. He opens his mouth, his voice a thread of sound: 'Hello... My name is Leo.' A few c…