Leo walked onto the sunny playground. He sat alone on a bench and watched other kids laugh and play together.
A group of kids chased each other around the slide. Leo's fingers gripped the straps of his backpack. He noticed a boy sitting alone on another bench nearby, staring at his shoes and twisting a string from his sleeve.
Leo's eyes drifted to the apple in his snack bag. He sat up a little straighter and thought about the boy on the other bench.
Leo stood up. The bench creaked under him. He walked across the gravel path with his apple held out in front of him.
He reached the other bench and offered the apple with a small shy smile.
The other boy took the apple and broke it in half. He handed one piece back to Leo. The apple was sweet and crisp.
A grin spread across Leo's face. "I'm Leo," he said. "Leo," the other boy replied.
They sat side by side eating the apple together. A bright yellow butterfly landed on Leo's knee. Both boys went perfectly still.
The butterfly lifted off and fluttered through the warm air. Both boys watched it go, their faces turned upward.
The two boys sat together, swinging their legs and finishing their apple. They were no longer alone.
