The bus hissed to a stop in front of Unity Academy's massive front gates.
I slid out of my seat, pulling my hoodie tighter around my head. The morning sun hit like a spotlight, and for a second, it felt like everyone was already staring.
"New country, new school, same old nerves," I muttered, stepping into the flood of students pouring across the courtyard.
Unity Academy wasn't just a school — it was an entire city. Towers stretched into the clouds. There were parks, shops, food courts, stadiums. Kids from all over the world moved like ocean currents, blending languages and styles into a dizzy mess.
"Mom said it'd be better here," I thought, weaving through the crowd. "Easier. A fresh start."
It didn't feel easier.
It felt like drowning.
I found the building for my grade and pushed through the heavy glass doors.
Room 3C. That was mine.
The hallway smelled like fresh paint and too much cleaning fluid.
I counted my steps to stay calm.
When I reached the classroom, I hesitated.
The room was already half full.
And every pair of eyes turned to me.
---
I slid into the first empty seat I could find, near the back corner.
The room was clearly divided — not officially, but you could feel it.
One side was mostly Western students — kids from the UK, Australia, America.
The other side was Asian students — Japan, China, Korea, India, the Philippines, and more.
Nobody seemed eager to cross the invisible line between them.
---
Near the window, a blond kid lounged sideways in his chair, twirling a pen through his fingers. He gave me a lazy half-smile when he caught me looking.
That was Oliver — smooth, sharp-eyed, the type who always knew the answer but never raised his hand.
Across the aisle from him sat Amelia, her dark brown hair tied back into a perfect braid. She was already organizing her textbooks into neat, color-coded stacks.
Everything about her screamed control.
Two rows down, Connor sprawled over two chairs, tanned skin glowing under the sunlight. He tapped his foot to a beat only he could hear, flashing easy grins at anyone who made eye contact.
Beside him, Ivy leaned back with her boots kicked up on the desk, black lipstick perfectly smudged. She wore a leather jacket over her uniform like it was armor.
Next to her sat Daniel, skinny, glasses slipping down his nose as he typed furiously into a laptop. His bag was covered in tech company patches, and he kept muttering lines of code under his breath.
Mia sat cross-legged on her chair nearby, sketchbook open, pencils spilling everywhere. She chewed the end of her eraser thoughtfully as she drew.
A little farther back, Theo cracked jokes loud enough for the entire room to hear. His messy brown hair bounced every time he laughed — which was often, even when no one else did.
Rose sat near the front, adjusting her pink hair clips and checking her reflection in her phone. She beamed at every compliment like she lived inside a romance novel.
Beside her, Jack sat stiffly, arms crossed, buzzcut sharp. His scowl warned everyone to stay back.
And finally, near the door, Harper fiddled with a bulky camera around their neck, snapping candid pictures when they thought no one was watching.
---
On the other side of the room, the energy was different.
Quiet. Focused. Sharp.
Yuna sat straight-backed in her seat, her black hair cut into a jagged bob. She wore a dark jacket over her uniform, sleeves rolled up, and a silver chain dangling from her wrist. Her gaze was cold, measuring.
Next to her, Takeshi practically vibrated with energy, tapping his foot and spinning a pencil between his fingers.
Li Wei sat two desks back, perfectly composed, hands folded neatly over his notebook. He glanced up briefly when I entered, then looked away without a word.
Ananya, wrapped in a colorful scarf, leaned toward her neighbor, whispering and laughing. She had the kind of energy that lit up the space around her.
Minjun sat a few seats down, silent and serious, arms crossed over his chest. His dark eyes stayed pinned to the whiteboard, even when the rest of the class buzzed.
Hana kept her face hidden behind thick glasses and the oversized sleeves of her hoodie, peeking out only when she thought no one noticed.
Ravi waved at anyone who passed his desk, his wide smile inviting. He wore bright sneakers that squeaked every time he moved.
Mei tapped her fingers impatiently against her desk, her sharp black eyes flicking from face to face, sizing everyone up.
Near the back, Lila scrolled through her phone with an elegant boredom, her expensive jacket tossed over one shoulder.
And crouched over his notebook at the farthest seat, Jin scribbled furious notes in tiny, cramped handwriting, oblivious to the world around him.
---
The door slammed shut.
Mr. Blume burst into the room like a storm.
"Welcome to Unity Academy, Class 3C!" he boomed, holding up a tablet. "You are the future! East and West, learning side by side!"
I shrank into my seat as he continued.
"This year, you'll be paired — one Western student with one Asian student — for your projects. Get ready to meet someone completely different from yourself!"
He started reading out pairs, fast and loud.
"Oliver with Mei!
Amelia with Li Wei!
Connor with Ananya!
Ivy with Minjun!
Daniel with Lila!
Mia with Takeshi!
Theo with Ravi!
Rose with Hana!
Jack with Jin!"
Each time he called names, kids awkwardly moved seats, some exchanging stiff nods, others avoiding eye contact entirely.
Then he paused.
"Hmm... Jerry. You're not paired yet, huh? Looks like you'll be joining Harper and Yuna — a trio!"
Yuna glanced sideways at me, raising one eyebrow.
Harper grinned and waved me over.
I grabbed my bag and shuffled to the desk next to them, trying not to trip over my own feet.
---
Yuna stared at me with that same unreadable look, then leaned back and crossed her arms.
"You're quiet," she said.
Harper snapped a photo without warning. The click echoed in the silence.
"You'll need a 'before' picture," they said. "Before we break you."
I forced a small smile, sinking into my chair.
"Perfect," I thought grimly. "I'm already the odd one out."
---
Mr. Blume droned on about project guidelines, but my mind drifted.
Something tickled at the edge of my vision.
A shimmer.
A crack.
The sunlight through the windows bent strangely, colors smearing across the floor.
I blinked.
It snapped back to normal.
Nobody else noticed.
But I did.
And deep in my gut, I felt it.
A warning.
A whisper just beneath the surface of the world.
The fracture was waiting.
And it had finally found me again.