A moving truck rumbled to a stop outside a tall apartment building. Mia peeked at the new street from behind the window shade.
Two movers lifted a box labeled KITCHEN through the doorway. Mia gripped the doorframe, hiding behind her mom's leg.
At the playground, Mia sat on the bottom step. The slide laughed and the swing set creaked, but she stayed right there.
During show-and-tell, Mia picked at her shoelace. A paper airplane flew across the room and crashed into her pencil cup with a soft clatter.
After school, a boy tugged her sleeve and pointed toward the playground. His sneakers scuffed the pavement. Mia's lips pressed together, then she stood up and followed.
They walked to the empty playground after school. The slide gleamed in the golden light. Mia stopped at the bottom of the steps.
Mia climbed the steps alone. She climbed the steps alone, one at a time. She sat at the top of the slide and waited.
Then the boy appeared at the bottom of the slide. He spread his arms wide and grinned. "One more!" he called up.
Mia slid down fast. Her sneakers hit the bottom with a thud. The boy whooped and she could not stop herself from smiling.
Then the boy grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the swing set. "Push me first!" he laughed. She pushed, and he flew forward.
Now Mia sat on the swing. She kicked her legs and pumped harder. The boy pushed from behind. Higher, higher.
Mia let go at the very top. Whoosh — she flew. The boy whooped from the ground. She laughed out loud and laughed and laughed.
