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Inside the bright morning classroom, Alex stands beside his desk zipping a backpack while Maya waits in the doorway, lit by hallway sunlight, offering a hesitant half-smile.
Alex zipped his backpack before class. Maya waited by the doorway, quiet. He waved and hurried to her. She managed a tiny half-smile. Something felt wrong to Alex.
In the afternoon art room, Maya clutches a torn, paint-streaked poster near an easel as two giggling classmates wearing paint-splattered smocks point and laugh; Alex watches from a table, brow furrowed under fluorescent lights.
During art club, Maya's poster ripped. Paint dripped, leaving a messy streak. A couple kids giggled and pointed. Maya flushed and looked at shoes. Alex's stomach tightened with worry.
Still in the art room beneath soft ceiling lamps, Alex steps forward from a stool, chest lifted and hands trembling slightly, whispering determination toward the two giggling classmates wearing paint-splattered smocks.
He took a slow, brave breath. His hands trembled just a little. Alex whispered, "I can help her." Then he stepped toward the giggles. His voice tried to sound steady.
Under the same indoor lights, Alex faces the two giggling classmates wearing paint-splattered smocks, holding up shiny silver tape and colorful markers like an offer of peace, his eyebrows raised.
Alex said, "Please stop laughing, okay?" That rip already makes her sad. Jokes should lift, not push down. He held up tape and markers. Let's fix it instead, together.
At the supply table, afternoon light from high windows, Alex extends a bright purple marker and roll of tape toward Maya, who looks up with widened hopeful eyes, her shoulders slowly relaxing.
Maya glanced up, surprised and hopeful. Alex smiled, "I brought extra tape." He offered a bright purple marker. His hand waited, palm open, friendly. The room suddenly felt quieter.
Beside the easel under warm yellow lamps, Alex gently aligns the torn edge with one hand while the other smooths it flat; Maya steadies the poster, eyes glistening with gratitude.
One kid shuffled, then stopped giggling. Another whispered, "We didn't mean harm." Alex answered, "You can help now." He gently straightened the torn edge. Maya nodded, blinking back tears.
On the paint-spotted worktable beneath bright ceiling lights, Alex brushes white glue like snow across the paper while Maya holds the opposite corner, both leaning close with focused expressions.
They moved closer to the table. Alex said, "Hold this corner, please." Maya whispered, "Thank you for helping." Glue brushed paper like soft snow. Everyone leaned in, careful and quiet.
Near the bulletin-board wall under fluorescent lights, Alex points firmly at a colorful "Kindness Pledge" poster while two giggling classmates wearing paint-splattered smocks stand beside him, cheeks pink with newfound shame.
A kid muttered, "We were only joking." Alex replied, "Jokes shouldn't hurt people." He pointed at the Kindness Pledge poster. The kid nodded, cheeks a little pink. They started smoothing the wrinkled paint.
At the central art table, afternoon sun slants through high windows onto Maya sketching bright stars around letters while Alex thickens lines with a black marker; eco-glitter scattered on wet paint sparkles between them.
Maya sketched new stars around letters. Alex added bold lines for strength. Someone sprinkled eco-glitter like sunshine. Their smiles grew with every fix. The poster looked brave and bright.
Under warm room lights, Alex and Maya kneel beside the restored poster, each signing the lower corner with colorful pens; the words "We choose kind" glow above their concentrated smiles.
The gigglers finally said, "We're sorry." Maya answered, "Thanks for helping now." Alex grinned, "Teamwork looks good on everyone." They took turns signing the corner. Together, they wrote, "We choose kind."
By the tall classroom windows flooded with late-day sunlight, Alex secures the sparkling poster to the wall while Maya lightly bumps his shoulder, both grinning with shared pride.
They hung the poster by windows. Sunlight made the colors sparkle warmly. Maya bumped Alex's shoulder, smiling. She said, "You were really brave." Alex felt proud, and also relieved.
On the tree-lined sidewalk at golden sunset, Alex and Maya walk side by side, matching strides and exchanging determined smiles as fallen leaves scatter around their sneakers.
Walking home, their steps matched perfectly. Alex said, "Doing right felt scary." Maya replied, "But you still did it." He nodded, "Next time, we'll help faster." They promised to stand up together.