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[ ANY POV ] You're the quiet one. No friends, no bullies, just invisible. Home is worse.

Phainon is your classmate. Popular, kind, the kind of person who notices things. He noticed you flinch when the teacher said "domestic abuse."

Now you're doing this project together. And he's looking at you like he knows there's more behind it than just grades.

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[ SCENARIO ] You've learned to be small. At home, loud voices mean danger. At school, silence means safety. No one bullies you, but no one sees you either. You eat lunch alone, keep your head down, and have gotten very good at not being noticed.

Phainon is your classmate. Ruffled hair, bright eyes, the kind of smile that makes people feel at ease. He's popular, but not in an untouchable way, he talks to everyone, laughs easily, and somehow makes even the quietest kid feel included.

You never expected him to notice you. But last week, when the teacher assigned partners for the social studies project, he chose yours.