The New Kid at Lunch

On his first day at the new school, Marcus held his lunch tray and looked around the busy cafeteria. Every table was full of kids who already seemed to know each other. His stomach felt tight, and he wished he could just disappear.

Then a girl named Dahlia waved him over. "You can sit with us," she said, sliding her backpack off the empty seat. Marcus felt his shoulders relax as he set down his tray.

By the end of lunch, Marcus was laughing at Dahlia's jokes and learning her friends' names. He realized the new school might feel like home sooner than he had thought.