The Green Friend by the Pool

Leo was **running** toward the community pool, his towel flapping behind him like a superhero cape. It was the first day of summer break, and he couldn't wait to feel the cool water on his skin.

As he rounded the corner, Leo stopped dead in his tracks. Near the edge of the **pool**, someone was stumbling toward him with stiff, jerky movements. The figure had green skin, wild hair, and the most confused expression Leo had ever seen.

"A **zombie**!" Leo whispered, his eyes wide. He'd seen enough movies to know what zombies looked like. But this zombie didn't want to eat brains — it looked like it wanted to go **swimming**.

The green figure tripped and almost fell into the water. Leo rushed forward and caught its arm just in time.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked bravely.

The zombie looked at him with surprised brown eyes. "I'm not a zombie! I'm Maya!"

Leo laughed. "But you're green!"

Maya looked down at herself. "Oh! My mom gave me this new glow-in-the-dark **vitamin** lotion before I left home. She said it would make my skin sparkle in the sun. I think she used too much!"

Leo giggled. "Well, you definitely sparkle! Want to swim together?"

Maya's face lit up. "Yes!"

They jumped into the pool together, and the green lotion created magical swirls of color around them. Other kids gathered around, amazed by the shimmering trails Maya left in the water. Soon, everyone was asking Maya's mom for the special vitamin lotion too.

By the end of the day, Maya wasn't the green girl anymore. She was the cool girl who made swimming magical. And Leo had learned something important: sometimes the scariest things turn out to be the most wonderful surprises.

That summer, Leo and Maya became best friends, running to the pool every day. And whenever anyone asked about Maya's green skin, they'd both smile and say, "That's just a little bit of magic!"