Zara stepped onto the bright orange tiles of Al Sharjah Private School. The building was enormous — bigger than anything she had ever seen.
She squeezed her backpack straps and walked fast, her eyes wide at every corner.
The teacher knelt down and opened her arms wide. Welcome, Zara!
Zara followed the teacher past rows of colorful cubbies to a small table by the window.
A girl with braids sat down beside her and opened a box of crayons.
One crayon wiggled out and rolled under the shelf. Zara crawled after it.
When she pulled it out, the crayon glowed like a tiny flashlight.
It hummed — a soft, happy sound. She drew a circle, a squiggle, and a star that wiggled on its own.
The braided girl leaned in and laughed. My turn!
She grabbed a blue crayon and drew a boat that looked like it was sailing right off the page.
Zara grinned and bumped her shoulder against the new girl's. They kept drawing together.
Soon the whole table was covered in color — and Zara was no longer afraid.