Lumina stepped onto the golden stage. Balloons bobbed around her head. "Is there any magic here?" she whispered. Sparkles drifted down like slow rain.
She held out her hand. The sparkles swirled around her fingers and tickled her palm. Lumina giggled, trying to catch one, but it zipped away.
Lumina jumped and clapped her hands. The sparkles leaped into the air and bounced off the balloons like tiny bouncy balls. She chased them across the stage.
She reached for a sparkle, but it dodged just out of reach. Lumina spun in circles, trying to catch the quicksilver light. It always stayed just ahead of her hands.
Lumina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I believe," she whispered. The stage held its breath with her.
The balloons burst into a wild dance—spinning, twisting, and juggling each other. Lumina's eyes popped open and she gasped with delight.
Lumina spun in a circle. The whole stage shimmered—gold, pink, blue, every color swirling together. She laughed and twirled, and the sparkles followed her.
The sparkles followed her like loyal little stars. Lumina laughed as the magical party came alive around her. She had found the magic after all.
