The Pyramid's Secret Friend

Mia loved exploring behind her grandmother's house, especially near the old **pyramid**-shaped treehouse that Grandpa had built years ago. It was the most magical place in the whole backyard.

One hot afternoon, Mia ran to the treehouse with a glass of **water** for the plants growing around its base. But she stopped in her tracks. Someone was inside the pyramid treehouse!

"Hello?" Mia called out.

A groan came from above. Then a boy shuffled down the ladder. His skin was pale, his hair was messy, and his clothes were covered in dirt. Mia's big brother had read stories about **zombie**s, but this boy didn't look scary at all. He looked lonely.

"I'm Ben," the boy mumbled. "Everyone thinks I'm weird because I move slowly."

Mia smiled. "I'm Mia! Do you want to play?"

Ben's eyes lit up. Mia grabbed her **padel** racket from the ground. "Let's play against the pyramid wall!"

They hit the ball back and forth, laughing as it bounced off the pyramid-shaped treehouse. Ben didn't move slowly when he was having fun!

"Why were you hiding?" Mia asked later.

Ben looked down. "Kids make fun of me."

"That's not right," Mia said firmly. "You're my friend now. And friends don't hide from each other."

Grandma appeared with cookies. "Ben! Your mother's been looking for you!"

Ben's face turned red. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry," Grandma said gently. "Just tell us where you're going. Now, who wants cookies?"

Mia learned something important that day: sometimes people who seem scary or different just need a friend. And the pyramid treehouse became their special meeting place—where Mia, Ben, and all the neighborhood kids played together, where no one ever felt like they didn't belong.