Gabriela stood at the school door with her backpack bouncing. She saw the yellow bus at the end of the driveway and reached for the handle. Rain drummed on the roof. The bus drove away.
Gabriela turned and walked back into the classroom. "The field trip is canceled," Mr. Patel said. Her shoulders dropped. She stared at her muddy boots on the tile floor.
Gabriela shuffled to the window and saw a giant puddle shimmering on the playground. Leo and Maya were already there in their rainboots, jumping up and down. Splash. Splash. Splash.
Gabriela stepped outside and jumped into the puddle. Splash! Water flew up and landed on Leo's nose. Leo sneezed and started giggling so hard he fell into another puddle.
Gabriela clapped her hands and jumped again — higher, higher, SPLASH — until raindrops mixed with puddle water and everything sparkled.
Gabriela, Leo, and Maya sat on the wet playground bench with their boots dripping. Gabriela pulled a red rubber duck out of her pocket and set it in the puddle.
It floated and bobbed. Gabriela grinned and poked it again. The duck did a little spin.
The duck bobbed happily. Gabriela watched it go round and round. The rain kept tapping its rhythm, and she didn't mind the canceled trip at all.