The Best Kind of Friend

One sunny morning, Ana skipped down the path with a big smile.
She had a new notebook, a new pencil, and a fun game to share.

At school, children laughed, talked, and made plans to play.
Ana felt happy.

Maybe this is what friendship feels like, she thought.

All morning, the children played together.
They cheered when Ana won a race.
They smiled and told jokes.

Ana felt sure she had found friendship.

But then the bell rang.

And something happened.

Ana’s notebook slipped from her bag and fell into a muddy puddle.

“Oh no,” Ana whispered.

She looked around, hoping someone would help.

A few children kept walking.
One child laughed.

Ana’s smile disappeared.

Then Iyobosa came over.

He did not laugh.
He did not point.
He simply knelt beside her and said,
“It’s okay. We’ll fix it together.”

Ana looked at him with surprised eyes.

Together, they wiped the cover, dried the pages, and made the notebook neat again.

Ana felt warm inside.

Now she understood something important:

True friendship is not only for fun days.
It is for hard days too.

A true friend is kind.
A true friend is honest.
A true friend stays close when things go wrong.

From that day on, Ana knew something special.

A true friend does not try to be better than you.
A true friend helps you grow.
A true friend makes your heart feel safe.

And that is the best kind of friend.

A true friend is someone who:

• is kind when you feel sad

• tells the truth gently

• helps when you need support

True friendship is a gift.