At school, Ava drew beside another child. Then the pink worry popped up and covered her page.
Ava shoved the paper away. Clatter! The crayons fell, and the pink worry grew as big as a chair.
At lunch, Ava carried the pink worry to the table. It spread across the tabletop and blocked her sandwich.
Ava reached around it. “Excuse me!” she said, as crumbs landed on the worry’s pink nose.
At home, Ava opened her homework book. The pink worry flopped over it and bumped her pencil onto the floor.
“I don’t know how to make friends,” Ava whispered. The pink worry swelled until it filled the room.
Ava stood up and faced it. She pointed to the open chair beside her. “Stop!”
The pink worry froze. Then it squeaked like a balloon losing air.
The mother sat beside Ava. Ava told her about school and the pink worry, and her mother listened.
Together, they said each worry aloud. “What if no one likes me?” Ava asked. Her mother nodded.
The pink worry shrank to a small puff beside Ava’s homework. Ava picked up her pencil.
Ava finished her homework and left the yellow chair open beside her. It was ready for a friend.
