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In reality, he was trying to distract himself from hunger.
That morning, all he had eaten was a slice of stale bread.
As he sat there, he noticed a girl approaching.
She couldn’t have been much older than him.
She carried a colorful lunchbox decorated with flowers.
Her name was Maya Johnson.
Everyone in town knew Maya.
She was cheerful, confident, and kind to almost everyone she met.
Unlike Ethan, she never seemed afraid to talk to strangers.
She sat beside him without asking permission.
“You look hungry,” she said.
Ethan immediately shook his head.
“I’m fine.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“You’re terrible at lying.”
Before he could respond, she opened her lunchbox.
Inside were sandwiches, fruit, cookies, and a small bottle of juice.
She handed him half of her sandwich.
He hesitated.
“I can’t take your food.”
“Sure you can.”
“No.”
“Then I’ll just sit here until you do.”
For nearly a minute, neither moved.
Finally, Ethan accepted the sandwich.
It was the best thing he had eaten in weeks.
