This study examines the emotions of connection, disconnection, and belonging experienced by adolescent heritage speakers in an international school in The Netherlands, and how these emotions shape the relationship between language, identity, and well-being. Using a corpus of narratives, the study explores how heritage speakers negotiate their linguistic identity between the language of instruction (English) and their heritage language (Spanish) in a predominantly anglophone educational environment. The findings show that the heritage language acts as a symbolic refuge, a space of recognition, capable of fostering feelings of connection and rootedness when its use is validated in the classroom. Conversely, disconnection arises when the language fades from everyday life or becomes invisible in school spaces, generating feelings of loss, distance, or identity fragmentation. Yet these emotions are dynamically intertwined: disconnection can transform into agency, motivating students to reaffirm their voice and sense of belonging through language. Hence, the study recommends the development of school language policies and pedagogical practices that recognize the full linguistic repertoires of heritage speakers and promote meaningful participation in mixed-language classrooms. At the same time, it also suggests implications for multilingual pedagogy and invites further research on emotions and identity in international educational settings.