The air smelled like sunshine and popcorn! Scarlett giggled as she skipped down the sidewalk, her little hand held tight by Yuna. They were on their way to the Street Market, a place so colorful and exciting, it felt like another planet.
"Look, Yuna, balloons!" Scarlett pointed a chubby finger at a vendor with a rainbow of balloons bobbing in the breeze. Yuna, a big, fluffy dog with fur as white as a snowball, wagged her tail excitedly.
Scarlett loved the Street Market. There were so many new smells, new sounds, and new things to see! Today, she was determined to try a dragonfruit. She had seen them at the market before – bright pink with green scales, like something out of one of her pop-up books!
As they walked, Scarlett noticed a little boy sitting by himself on a bench. He had a red wagon filled with colorful blocks, but he wasn't playing. He just stared at his feet, his face sad.
Scarlett knew what it felt like to be sad. Sometimes, she felt scared to try new things. What if she didn't like dragonfruit? What if the other children laughed at her?
But Scarlett remembered what her mom always said: "Believe in yourself, Scarlett. You can do anything you set your mind to!"
Taking a deep breath, Scarlett marched over to the little boy. "Hi!" she said with a big smile. "Those blocks look like fun! What are you building?"
The boy looked up, surprised. He shyly pushed a blue block towards Scarlett. "A spaceship," he mumbled.
"Wow, a spaceship! Can I help?" Scarlett asked excitedly.
The boy nodded, a small smile spreading across his face. Soon, Scarlett and the boy, whose name was Ben, were laughing and building a magnificent spaceship out of blocks. Yuna watched them with her big, brown eyes, her tail thumping happily against the pavement.
After a while, Scarlett remembered her mission. "Hey Ben," she said, "I'm going to try a dragonfruit. Want to come with me?"
Ben hesitated. "What if it tastes funny?"
Scarlett put her hand on Ben's arm. "It's okay to be a little scared," she said. "But we should always try new things! We might love them!"
Together, Scarlett and Ben walked over to the fruit vendor. Scarlett carefully picked out a bright pink dragonfruit. It felt bumpy and strange in her hands.
She took a deep breath and took a bite. It was sweet and juicy, like a mix of kiwi and pear!
Scarlett's eyes widened in surprise. It was delicious! She looked over at Ben, who was taking a tentative bite. His face lit up. "It's good!" he exclaimed.
As Scarlett and Ben enjoyed their dragonfruit, Scarlett felt proud of herself. She had faced her fear and tried something new. She had even helped Ben feel brave too!
Walking back home hand-in-paw with Yuna, Scarlett knew that even though she was small, she could do anything she set her mind to. All she needed was a little self-confidence, a sprinkle of courage, and maybe, just maybe, a delicious dragonfruit from the Street Market.
