Mia and Noor wake up with big smiles. The sun peeks in. Today is play day. Both girls are three. They hold hands. They brush their teeth. They put on small shoes. They run to the garden.
The garden has grass like a green rug. There are flowers that nod hello. There is a little wooden bench. Mia loves the bench. Noor loves the flowers. They both love the blue ball.
Mia picks the ball first. She jumps. She giggles. Noor watches. Noor wants to play too. Noor reaches. Mia holds the ball tight. Noor frowns for a little bit. She feels a small green feeling in her chest. It is jealousy. It makes her lips small.
Noor remembers what her mom says. "Take a deep breath," she hears. Noor breathes in. She breathes out. The green feeling gets softer. Noor thinks of Mia's laugh. She thinks of the way Mia shares snacks. Noor wants to be brave.
Noor says, "Can I have a turn?" Her voice is soft. Mia smiles. "Yes," she says. Mia rolls the ball to Noor. Noor touches the ball. The ball is cool. Noor's fingers wiggle. She rolls it back. They clap. They clap again.
They play rolling and catching. They take turns. They count to three. One, two, three. Turn. One, two, three. Turn. The game is easy. The game is kind.
Later, a little bird hops near the bench. Mia and Noor tiptoe. The bird looks at them with bright eyes. Mia whispers, "Hello, bird." Noor whispers too. They share crumbs. They laugh. The bird twitters and flies to a branch. They feel happy.
Now it is snack time. There are two small plates with crackers and apple slices. Mia likes apples. Noor likes crackers. Noor watches Mia eating an apple. The apple is shiny. Noor wishes her cracker were as shiny. The green feeling comes back. Noor's shoulders drop a little.
Mia notices. She pats Noor's knee. "Do you want a bite?" she asks. Noor shakes her head. "No thank you," she says. She is shy. Mia peels a small piece of apple and offers it anyway. Noor takes it. It tastes sweet. Noor says, "Thank you." The green feeling melts into a warm yellow feeling. It is friendship.
In the middle of the day, they build a little fort with a blanket and two chairs. The fort is quiet and cozy. They put soft toys inside. They tell small stories. Mia says, "Once there was a moon who liked to hop." Noor giggles. "And a tiny frog that wore a hat," she adds. They laugh together. They clap their hands. They make the fort a secret place where both are safe.
A kite dances in the sky. Noor has never flown a kite before. Mia has flown one once with her dad. Noor watches as Mia helps tie the string. Noor feels the green feeling again. It is small now. Mia points to the sky. "We can fly it together," she says. Noor nods.
They run with the kite. The wind hugs the kite. The kite jumps up, up, up. Noor holds the string. Mia holds the string too. They run side by side. They laugh and laugh. The kite makes a soft sound. "Look!" they shout. It is bright and beautiful. Noor feels proud. Mia feels proud too. They look at each other and smile.
As the sun starts to go down, they sit on the bench. A soft orange light touches their cheeks. They breathe together. The day has many small things. Each small thing helped them grow closer. They learned to share. They learned to say how they feel. They learned to help.
Noor says, "I felt jealous today." She looks at Mia. Her eyes are calm. Mia holds Noor's hand. "I felt like that before too," Mia says. "When you draw pretty stars." Noor tilts her head. "I like your laugh," she says. They both laugh softly.
They name the green feeling. They call it "little envy." They put it in a pretend jar. They do not hide it. They talk to it. They give it a hug. The jar is small and kind. They promise to share their toys and their smiles.
Night comes. The stars peek out. A soft blanket is placed on their laps. Noor leans on Mia. Mia leans on Noor. Their breath is slow. The sleepy feeling comes like a feather. The bird they fed naps in a nearby tree. The kite rests in the grass.
Before they close their eyes, Mia says, "Friends help each other." Noor nods. "Friends share things," she adds. They both whisper, "Friends make feelings small and warm." They giggle one last time.
They say goodnight to the garden. They say goodnight to the kite. They say goodnight to the bird. They hold hands. They close their eyes. They dream of more bright days. The green feeling is now a tiny leaf. It is okay. It grows into something kind.
They sleep with soft smiles. Friendship keeps them safe and bright.
