Soul of Wanderlust

Maya Thompson had always been captivated by the world of plants. Ever since she was little, she spent hours in her grandmother's garden, watching flowers bloom and feeling the soft earth between her fingers. As the school year progressed, she decided to create her own little garden in a quiet corner of her backyard, a sanctuary where she could escape from the everyday chaos of school life. One afternoon, while tending to her plants, Maya noticed a colorful butterfly fluttering around her garden. Intrigued, she followed it as it danced from flower to flower, finally leading her to a forgotten corner of the schoolyard, hidden behind tall hedges. There, she found an old, rusty gate covered in ivy. Curiosity sparked, and she pushed it open with a creak, revealing a neglected garden that looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. The moment Maya stepped inside, she felt a rush of excitement. The garden was overgrown but bursting with potential. Wildflowers dotted the ground, and old trees...

It was the last few minutes before lunch when Amina Iskandar noticed something unusual in her locker. She paused, fingers hovering over the small note that had been slipped through one of the locker’s vents. The note was delicately folded, as if the person who’d left it had put in careful thought. Curiosity won her over, and she unfolded the paper. Inside was a short message written in neat, looping handwriting: “Keep smiling, Amina. The world always needs a little more light.” The words were simple but left her with a strange warmth. She had no idea who could have written it or why, and she tucked it into her notebook, deciding not to think too much about it. Maybe it was just a random act of kindness—one of those little things you hear about but never expect to happen to you. The next day, however, Amina found another note waiting in her locker. “Today’s a new page. Make it a good one.” A small doodle of a smiling sun sat in the corner of the paper. She smiled at the cute drawing, th...