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On the sunny playground near the ramp, Jack pauses mid-soccer, waving toward Mateo in his red wheelchair. Behind him, Katie lunges toward the rolling soccer ball on the grass as loose nets and orange cones frame the scene.
Recess buzzed as Jack, Katie, Charlie, and Sam played soccer. Near the ramp, Mateo, who has Down syndrome and uses a red wheelchair, watched. Jack waved. "Wanna play?" Mateo shrugged, hopeful.
Under bright noon light on the blacktop, Jack kneels and gently rolls a yellow foam ball toward Mateo in his red wheelchair. Mateo smiles back, hands on wheels, while Katie stands beside Jack holding another small ball.
Jack rolled the foam ball over. "I'm Jack," he said. "I'm Katie," she added. "Mateo," he smiled. "What games do you like?" Charlie asked. "Racing, music, and jokes," Mateo answered.
On the sun-drenched blacktop, white and blue chalk lines form a winding racetrack. Mateo speeds along in his red wheelchair, laughing, while Sam beside the start cone shouts 'Go!' and Jack jogs loyally at his flank.
They grabbed chalk and drew a racetrack on the smooth blacktop. "Ready, set, go!" Sam called. Jack jogged beside Mateo. Katie timed laps. Mateo zoomed, laughing as friends cheered.
Near the playground cone course under afternoon light, Charlie ties bright scarves to orange cones. Mateo finishes a quick spin and taps a cone, reaching to accept a fluttering green scarf from Katie, both grinning mid-game.
Charlie tied colorful scarves to cones. "Flag fetch teams!" he announced. "Your turn, Mateo!" Katie said. Mateo spun, tapped a cone, and passed a scarf. "Nice move!" Sam grinned.
On the smooth blacktop during late-day recess, a soft orange soccer ball rolls toward Mateo's red wheelchair. He taps it with a gloved hand past chalk goal lines while Jack raises both arms in triumph nearby.
They moved soccer onto the blacktop with a soft ball. "Two-touch rule, no bump zones," Jack suggested. Everyone nodded. "Pass to Mateo!" Katie yelled. Mateo tapped the ball with his hand; it rolled in. Cheers erupted.
Outside the classroom door in bright morning light, Katie waves a rainbow bubble wand, releasing shimmering orbs across the blacktop. Mateo leans from his red wheelchair to pop a large bubble with gloved hands while Charlie grins beside him.
Tomorrow, Katie brought bubble wands. "Bubbles for everyone!" she laughed. Shiny bubbles floated everywhere. Mateo reached and popped them with quick gloves. "Listen to the pops," Charlie said. "They sound like tiny drums!"
Under clear midday sun on the blacktop, Sam kneels arranging bright plastic bowling pins in a triangle. Mateo sends a light blue ball from his red wheelchair; pins scatter while Jack pumps a celebratory fist behind him.
Sam set up plastic pins. "Wheel-bowling!" he said. Jack handed Mateo a light ball. "Ready?" Mateo rolled; pins clattered. "Strike!" everyone shouted, and Mateo pumped a fist.
Below the shade of the giant playground oak, afternoon light flickers through leaves onto a semicircle of chalk-sitting friends. Mateo in his wheelchair lifts a hand, describing aliens building ramps, while Charlie laughs, notebook open for story ideas.
They rested under the big tree. "Story Switch time," Charlie said. Each friend added a line. "Then the spaceship needed wheelchair ramps," Mateo grinned. Everyone laughed, imagining aliens building kindness.
On the sunlit blacktop, Jack crouches drawing a wide white chalk circle. Mateo reaches from his red wheelchair to touch the fresh line, both children smiling as warm afternoon light casts soft shadows.
Jack drew a circle on the ground. "Circle up means everyone belongs," he said. "If someone can't play, we change the game." "Deal," Katie replied. "Always," Mateo agreed, touching the circle.
Near the chalk circle under bright recess sun, Sam gestures invitingly toward a cluster of curious students. Mateo, parked beside colorful cones, demonstrates a flag while explaining rules, the playground bustling behind them.
Other kids drifted over, curious. "Can we play too?" voices asked. "Yes," Sam said, "just follow the circle rule." Mateo explained the flags and laps. Soon, the playground buzzed together.
Outside on the blacktop during golden morning light, Mateo sits forward in his wheelchair, leading a clap-clap pause rhythm. Jack and Katie mirror his movements beside a small portable speaker, hands mid-air and faces lit with laughter.
At recess music day, Mateo led a clapping rhythm. "Copy me!" he called. Tap-tap, pause, clap. Jack and Katie echoed. Charlie added a chant of names. Laughter bounced across the blacktop.
Under soft late-afternoon light, the group kneels on the blacktop around a bright chalk sign reading 'Friendship Club'. Mateo in his red wheelchair adds the final star as Jack steadies the chalk box nearby.
Before the bell, they drew a chalk sign: "Friendship Club." "We did this together," Jack said. "Thanks for including me," Mateo whispered. "We belong in the same story," everyone echoed, smiling.