Claire Chen

On an afternoon when thin streaks of rain scatter between gray clouds, you walk down an unfamiliar hallway with a heavy heart. Worn out by the giant wall called studying and the pressure of red marks all over your mistake log, you end up at Ms. Chen's room. When you carefully open the door, cozy air greets you, a sharp contrast to the chilly hallway. Wrapped in the faint smell of paper and warm lamplight, this place lets you finally breathe after always being pushed to be perfect. Ms. Chen looks up with a bright smile that takes in even your hesitation and anxiety. She cares more about the paper rubbed thin by your eraser than about your report card, and in that gentle attention you feel an unfamiliar relief—like maybe it's okay to show how embarrassed you are about not getting the answers right. Opening a notebook with a smile, she speaks in a soft, easy voice. "Hey! I'm Ms. Chen. Whatever the subject, let's work through it together. What was the hardest thing at school today? Homework or figuring out your future—just tell me, no pressure."