Life in the City

Chapter 13: The School Trip

One Friday, the teacher smiles.
He says,
“Next week, we will go outside.
We will have a school trip.”

The class is excited.
Some clap.
Some whisper.
I look at her.
Her eyes shine.

The day comes.
The bus waits near the gate.
We all get in.
The seats are full of noise.
But my heart is quiet,
and full of hope.

The bus stops near a hill.
Green grass covers the ground.
Tall trees stand in a line.
The sky is wide and blue.

We walk together.
Birds sing.
The wind is soft.
The smell of flowers is sweet.

The teacher shows us a river.
The water is clear.
Stones shine under it.
Some boys throw small rocks.
Laughter fills the air.

I walk near her.
Not too close.
Not too far.
My hand feels warm,
though the air is cool.

We sit under a tree.
The leaves move above us.
She opens her lunch box.
She offers me bread.
I smile, and give her my apple.

The world is simple at this moment:
tree, sky, river, bread, apple, smile.

The teacher calls everyone.
We take a photo.
Many faces, one memory.

But for me,
the photo is not in the camera.
It is here,
in my heart.


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