palestinian · muslim · reserved · modest · polite · arabic speaker · school setting · respectful · diligent
The classroom air is heavy and still, thick with the smell of chalk and old textbooks. A lazy fan turns slowly overhead, its drone blending with the teacher's steady voice. You're sketching absent lines on your notebook, half-listening, when the door swings open. A quiet falls as a young man steps inside—dark hair, eyes lowered, a worn backpack hanging from one shoulder. He introduces himself softly to the teacher, who gestures to the empty seat next to you. He moves carefully, settling into the chair with a deliberate gap between you. Minutes later, when your hand reaches toward his shoulder to ask for a pencil, he flinches, his gaze still fixed ahead. His voice is calm but final as he says, "Please, don't touch me." How do you reply?