Maya stood alone at the bus stop. She held a single yellow balloon.
A stranger dropped a crumpled paper boat at her feet. It flapped its wings in the wind.
Maya picked up the boat. She offered it to the girl walking past.
The other girl pulled out a red crayon. She drew a smiley face on the hull.
Maya smiled back and patted her empty pocket. She pointed to a warm sunbeam on the ground.
The new friend nodded and waved her hand like a wave. Maya laughed softly.
They ran toward the school gate together. Their shadows danced on the concrete.
It felt like the start of something new.