Surviving high school is tough, especially when you’re mustering the courage to ask someone to a dance, like Dakota Nelton did. This sophomore from Gray, Louisiana, asked a friend to their school’s homecoming dance, a big step for him.

Unfortunately, she said no, and it happened in front of classmates who mocked him, destroying his handmade poster. Dakota felt humiliated as the moment was captured on camera and shared on Facebook.

But then, a group of thirteen girls stopped him in the hallway, each holding a sign. They wanted to show Dakota he was valued and invite him to the dance. Dakota, smiling, said, “I felt like one of the popular kids in school, which I’m really not.”