The morning sun peeked through the clouds as Will and Lilly walked to school, still carrying the excitement from Sunday. Yesterday felt like a fresh start, but today? Today buzzed differently. The streets were alive with sounds—chatter, footsteps, and the distant rumble of a school bus. As they tucked their backpacks away, Will leaned in and whispered, “Do you think anyone will notice anything… different about us?” Lilly grinned. “Guess we’ll find out.”
By recess, the answer came. A group of kids were gathered near the swings, teasing Jake—the quiet boy from math class who always kept to himself. Will and Lilly exchanged a look. This wasn’t how they pictured the day going. They stood still for a moment—something stirred inside both of them. No one needed to tell them what was right—they just knew. Will’s pulse quickened as he stepped forward. “Hey, knock it off,” he said, trying to sound calm even though his heart pounded. “Let’s go do something better.” Lilly moved beside him, smiling gently at Jake. “Want to come? We’re about to play soccer.”
Jake hesitated, then nodded. The other kids grumbled and left behind a quieter playground corner. As the three headed toward the field, Will and Lilly exchanged glances and a calm sense of relief.
That afternoon, walking home, Will finally spoke. “That was kinda scary.” Lilly let out a small laugh. “Yeah, but it felt… good.” Their mom, standing on the porch watering flowers, overheard. “Some things feel hard because they matter,” she said, setting the watering can down. “But you’re doing the right thing.”
“Does it get easier?” Will asked.
She smiled. “Sometimes. But even when it doesn’t, you won’t be doing it alone.”
As the sun dipped lower and the crickets began to sing, Will and Lilly sat on the porch swing, quietly thinking about the day. Without saying much, they both knew—there would be more moments like this.
Later, before bed, they whispered a quiet prayer for tomorrow—and every tomorrow after that.
Little did they know the next challenge was already waiting just around the corner.
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