Once upon a time, a girl named Maya and her brother Toby, were on summer break and they were so, so happy. So happy, that they decided to go to the beach with their friends named Zoey and Fin. The first thing they did was make sandcastles. They were 10 feet tall. Then they wanted to go in the water. They were in the water for about 10 minutes then Toby yelled, “Shark!” Everyone ran out of the water but there was one baby. Maya ran back into the water to save the baby. Maya saved the baby but the shark bit Maya. She started to bleed and cry. The lifeguards helped her while she cried. 

“Oh no!” Zoey said. Toby called her mom. Her mom’s phone was off. “Fin, call your mom.” 

“She is on a work call.”

The lifeguard called 911 and the shark lost all its teeth. Maya was happy the baby, whose name was Grace, was okay, but she was still crying. 

“What will we do? We need to help Maya,” said Zoey. 

“I’m okay, just really, really hurt,” Maya said. 

“Okay, but we still are going to help you,” said Fin. Maya was sitting on the sand.

Maya’s mom came running. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” responded Maya. 

“What happened?” 

“I’m okay, but there are marks from where the shark bit me.”

“Okay, but you are bleeding a lot,” said Toby.

“Maybe we should go home and have lemonade and cookies,” said Maya’s mom. “That’s so good.” 

“Bring her to the hospital every day for 10 weeks,” said the doctor.

“Okay,” Maya said. 

At home, Maya had two cups of lemonade and three cookies, then she went to lie down in bed. Then Maya’s BFF, Becky, knocked on her bedroom door.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Sort of.”

 Maya’s mom walked in. “Mom, can I talk to Becky privately?”

“Yes.”

“What do you need?”

“I need to talk to you. It hurts, but I am not okay.” 

“Okay, so why didn’t you just tell your mom and brother?” said Becky. 

“But … because. If I told them, I’d be in such great trouble because I’m not supposed to go in the water when the lifeguard blows their whistle.” 

“Well, you’re hurt, so it’s better if you just tell your mom so she’ll help make you feel better,” said Becky. 

“Well, I guess I didn’t think of that,” Maya said while she looked down and played with her ring.  

“Why don’t we go tell your mom now?” 

“Becky. Don’t you think my mom will be mad if we tell her now when we just left the hospital?” 

“Well, let’s tell her, Maya. We have to tell her.”

Maya’s face turned red. 

“Come on!” Becky announced. 

“Okay,” Maya said, right before she sighed. 

They walked out of Maya’s room, holding hands. Becky helped Maya get down the stairs, and then it was time to tell her mom. 

“Mom,” Maya said in a shaky voice. “My leg really hurts.”

“Okay, why did you not tell me?”

“Because I was trying to be strong.”

“You are strong. Okay, let’s go to the hospital.”

“Okay.”