Lina sat on the rooftop garden of her small apartment, the city lights gleaming around her like stars.
She had just finished her night shift at the hospital and was too tired to go inside.
Her phone buzzed with a message from her friend Mark: "Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to join the book club tomorrow?"
Lina smiled, typing back, "Will do. Thanks for asking."
As she looked out at the quiet streets, she hesitated.
The book club was new to her, and she wasn’t so sure if she would fit in.
But then she remembered Mark’s encouraging words from last week, "You’ve got this!"
She took a deep breath and whispered to herself, "Keep it up, Lina."
Suddenly, a soft voice called from below.
It was her elderly neighbor, Mr. Chen, holding a basket of fresh fruit.
"Help yourself," he said kindly, "I picked these from my garden."
Lina felt warmth spread inside her chest.
"Good for you, Mr. Chen," she said with a smile.
"Way to go with your garden!"
He laughed gently, "From now on, come by anytime. I’m always here if you need anything."
"Have a good one," Lina replied as she took a juicy apple.
As she ate, she thought about how small moments like this made the city feel less lonely.
That said, she felt hopeful—sooner or later, she would find her place here, down the road.