Ali kicked the football across the green grass. His friends sprinted after it, shouting and laughing.
The ball bounced once, twice — then stopped right on the white line.
Ali lined up his feet and kicked hard. The ball sailed up, up, up — and landed with a soft thump on the tallest tree branch.
Everyone stared up. A leaf wiggled. The ball stayed put.
Ali shook the tree trunk. The ball dropped — but bounced off the slide and rolled under the swing.
The ball came to rest inside a bush full of bright yellow stickers. Ali pulled it out. Everyone gasped.
Ali smiled. He grabbed chalk from his pocket and drew a brand-new goal on the grass.
His friends cheered. Ali kicked the sticker-covered ball through the chalk goal.
The ball bounced off one post, tapped the other, and dropped straight in. Everyone whooped and high-fived.
The boys whooped and high-fived, jumping up and down on the grass.
They kept playing until the city lights glowed orange behind the buildings.
Ali lay back on the warm grass, the sticker ball resting on his tummy, and laughed until his sides hurt.