Life in the City

Chapter 14: Under the Tree

After lunch,
the class runs to play.
Some play football.
Some run to the river.
The teacher talks with other teachers.

She and I stay under the tree.
The air is quiet.
Only birds sing.
Only leaves move.

I look at her hands.
She touches the grass.
Her fingers are small and soft.

She says,
“The sky is so blue today.”
Her voice is light.
Her smile is calm.

I answer,
“Yes. It feels new.
Like the world is happy.”

We sit in silence.
But it is not an empty silence.
It is warm.
It is full.

She asks,
“Do you like the city or the fields?”
I think for a while.
I say,
“I like both.
The city has lights.
The fields have peace.
But with the right person,
any place feels good.”

She looks at me.
Her eyes are bright.
She does not speak.
But I feel she understands.

A ball rolls near us.
Some boys shout.
We laugh together.

The sun moves lower.
The air turns cool.
The teacher calls,
“It is time to go!”

We walk back to the bus.
Step by step.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Side by side.


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Life in the City Chapter 1: A New Day My name is Nam. I live in a small apartment in the city with my mother. Our apartment is on the third floor. It has two rooms, one kitchen, and one bathroom. It is not big, but it is warm and full of light. In the morning, I wake up at six o’clock. The city is already alive. Through the window I see tall buildings and long streets. The street below is busy. Cars, buses, and motorbikes move fast. I hear horns. I hear people talk loudly. But I also hear birds on the roof. I stand by the window for a moment. I feel the sun on my face. I take a deep breath. The air smells of food from the small shop downstairs. It smells like bread and coffee. Then I brush my teeth and wash my face. The water is cold, but it wakes me up. In the kitchen, my mother makes breakfast. We eat together. She drinks hot tea. I eat bread with butter and drink a glass of milk. We do not talk much, but it feels nice. It feels safe. After breakfast, I p...
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Life in the City Chapter 7: Evening at Home The bus stops near my apartment. I get off and walk home. The sky is dark now. Lights shine in the street. People buy food from small shops. The city feels busy again. I climb the stairs to the third floor. I open the door. My mother is cooking dinner. The smell of rice and fish fills the room. “Hello, Nam,” she says. “Hello, Mom,” I answer. I sit at the table. I feel tired but also full of thoughts. We eat together. After some time, my mother looks at me. “You are quiet today,” she says. “Did something happen at school?” I nod slowly. “Yes, something happened. This morning the teacher asked me to read. My voice was weak. One boy laughed at me. I felt afraid. I felt small.” My mother puts down her chopsticks. Her eyes are calm. “What did the teacher say?” she asks. I remember the smile of Ms. Hoa. “She said I can do it. She told me to try louder next time. Minh also told me I was good. And Linh said I read better th...
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Life in the City Chapter 2: At School The bus moves slowly through the city. I sit by the window and watch. Shops, trees, and people pass by. I see a man selling fruit on the corner. I see children walking with heavy bags. The city feels big, but the bus feels small. After twenty minutes, we reach the school. The bus stops. Students get off. Some run, some walk. I walk with my friend Minh. He is in my class. He is tall and always smiles. “Good morning, Nam,” Minh says. “Good morning,” I answer. We laugh and walk together. Our school is big. It has three buildings and a playground. The walls are yellow. The windows are wide. Every morning, the school feels noisy and alive. The bell rings. We go to our classroom. Our teacher, Ms. Hoa, is already there. She is kind but strict. She says, “Good morning, class.” We all answer, “Good morning, teacher.” We sit down. The lesson begins. Today we study English. I open my book. I read new words. I write them in m...
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