Hugo built a tall sandcastle near the park's edge. His trowel scraped and patted. The sun warmed his back. He was just about to add the final tower when—
A shadow fell across his castle. A girl with brown braids stood in his way, blocking the sun. Hugo paused. His trowel hovered above the sand. His eyebrows lifted in quiet curiosity.
She raised her hand and waved. Her fingers spread wide. Hugo waved back. He pointed to himself. 'Hugo,' he said. His voice came out quieter than he meant.
He watched her face, but her eyes stayed bright and focused. Her hands began moving in quick, graceful shapes. He tried to mimic her, but his fingers tangled into a clumsy version. He giggled. The sound broke the tension.
The girl stepped closer. She signed her name slowly. She pointed to her ears and shook her head, then signed again with a smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. Hugo stared at her hands, then at her face. A slow grin spread across his own as he realized she was laughing at his earlier mistake.
She held out her hand, palm up. She signed, 'Want to be friends?' Hugo nodded so fast his hair fell in his eyes.
Hugo took her hand. Together they marched back to the sandcastle. He built a tall wall while she shaped a moat with her fingers in the sand.
They worked side by side. The park sounds around them—distant laughter, a bike bell, the rustle of leaves. Hugo's shoulders relaxed. He hummed a tuneless little melody.
The sandcastle stood complete. Two towers rose high. The moat gleamed in the sunlight. They both stepped back to admire their work.
The girl signed something new. Hugo tried again, slower this time. His fingers didn't tangle. She clapped her hands and signed, 'Good!'
Hugo signed back, 'Hugo.' Then he pointed to her and waited. She smiled and signed her name again. He repeated it slowly.
The sun began to dip lower. They sat beside the sandcastle, still talking with their hands. Neither of them wanted to stop playing.