Mia Wants a Hello

Mia wanted to say hello to the boy by the gate. It was her first morning at the new school, and her backpack still smelled like the store.

The boy was named Noah. He was crouched over a puddle with a leaf in his hands.

Mia walked up close. She opened her mouth. "Hello," she said, but it came out small as a crumb.

Noah did not look up. He was busy with the leaf.

Mia tried again. She stood a little closer and said it a little louder. "Hello." It came out small again. A bird on the fence said it better.

So she tried something different. She waved. But Noah was looking down at the water, and a wave is no good to someone who is looking down.

Mia's cheeks felt warm. Her feet wanted to walk back to the gate.

Then she noticed something. Noah was whispering to the leaf. "Go on," he said. "Go, boat." But the puddle was too still, and the boat would not go.

Mia looked at her sneakers. They were new and bright yellow. She looked at the puddle.

She jumped.

SPLASH!

Water flew up in a big wet ring. The leaf boat spun around and sailed all the way across.

Noah's mouth fell open. Then he laughed, a loud, bouncing laugh. "It's going! You made it go!"

A giggle bubbled up in Mia, and it was not small at all. "Hello!" she said, and this time it came out big and round.

"Hello," said Noah. "Do it again."

Mia jumped again. SPLASH! The leaf boat bobbed. Noah clapped. The ripples rolled to the edge of the puddle and back, and the two of them watched them go.