Brave for Once
The orange flavor was overwhelmingly sweet, but I kept it in my mouth for a long time, reluctant to swallow.
The next morning, Yasmine came to class carrying a schoolbag that was bigger than she was.
"Ms. Cleo! Was the light bright?"
I squatted down to look at her at eye level. "Really bright. Thank you."
She hid her face shyly behind her schoolbag. "I'm also afraid of the dark. My mom bought the nightlights for me, so I thought I'd share one with you."
Locked in the storage room at three years old, Mom had said outside the door, "Come out whenever you're no longer afraid."