Amanda and the Brave New Friend

Amanda loved her afternoons at home, especially when the sun streamed through her window, painting bright squares on the soft, colourful rug. She was eight years old, with bright, curious eyes and a heart full of stories, which she loved to draw. Her favourite thing to do was sketch brave knights and magnificent dragons, their scales shimmering with magic.

One sunny Tuesday, as Amanda was carefully colouring a dragon's wing emerald green, her Mum popped her head into the room. "Guess what, sweetie?" Mum smiled. "Our new neighbours have a boy named Leo, and he's coming over to play this afternoon! He loves drawing, just like you!"

Amanda's tummy did a little flip-flop. She was excited to meet someone who loved drawing as much as she did, but also a tiny bit shy. New people sometimes made her feel like a turtle retreating into its shell. She carefully organised her pencils and sketchbooks, taking deep breaths, reminding herself to be brave, just like the knights in her drawings.

Soon, the doorbell chimed, a happy sound that made Amanda's heart thump a little faster. She followed Mum to the door, peeking from behind her leg. There stood Leo, a boy with a friendly smile and a bright blue t-shirt, who looked just as shy as Amanda felt. They both offered small, nervous smiles.

The adults chatted for a moment, and then it was just Amanda and Leo in her sunlit room. The silence felt big and a little bit wobbly. Amanda looked at her dragon drawing, then at Leo, who was quietly looking at his shoes. This was her chance to be brave. She took another deep breath, remembering her inner knight.

Gathering all her courage, Amanda pointed to her drawing. "Do you... do you like dragons?" she asked, her voice a little squeaky. Leo's head popped up. His eyes, just as curious as Amanda's, lit up instantly. "I LOVE dragons!" he exclaimed, a big, genuine smile spreading across his face. "I draw them all the time!"

The wobbly silence disappeared like magic! Amanda grinned. "Me too!" she chirped, her shyness forgotten. She pulled out a fresh sketchbook and some colourful pencils. "Want to draw a super-fierce dragon with me?" Leo's smile widened. "Yes, please!" he said, eager to join in.

They sat side-by-side on the rug, pencils flying across the pages. They shared ideas for dragon scales, fiery breaths, and secret caves. Giggles like tiny bells filled the room as they swapped pencils and showed off their magnificent, imaginative creations. It was like they had been drawing together forever!

When Mum called them for afternoon tea, Amanda and Leo were deep in a drawing adventure. They had completely forgotten their earlier shyness. They discovered they both loved space adventures too, and building towering block castles. It felt wonderful to have a new friend who understood all her favourite things.

Amanda felt a warm glow inside. Being brave and saying hello had been a little scary at first, but it had led to a wonderful afternoon and a brand new friend. She couldn't wait for their next drawing adventure, knowing that a little bit of bravery could open up a whole new world of fun.