Billy, an elephant boy in crisp school clothes, hustles out his front door, clutching his homework folder with his trunk. His ears flop with each eager step as he waves to neighbors and imagines a perfect day ahead.
"Today’s going to be great—I’ve got my project and I’ll finally answer all the questions in math," he says, determination sparkling in his eyes.
Billy tries to tiptoe past the dog, but his trunk accidentally knocks over a bin, sending papers and banana peels flying. The startled dog yelps, and Billy’s homework folder tumbles into a muddy puddle.
"Oh no, not my homework! Why now?" he groans, his shoulders slumping as frustration wells up.
Billy kneels beside his folder, fighting back tears while trying to salvage the dripping pages. He gazes at the school clock tower in the distance, worry creasing his brow.
"I’ll never make it now. Maybe I should just go home," he whispers, voice trembling with disappointment.
New Character: Lila the Rabbit — energetic, empathetic, quick-thinking.
New Character: Toby the Turtle — calm, patient, resourceful.
"Hey there, don’t look so down! Need some help?"
"We’re on our way to school too. Maybe together we can fix this," Toby suggests with a gentle smile.
Billy watches in awe as his new friends work, their kindness lifting his spirits. The patched-up folder looks a little odd, but it’s filled with love and effort.
"There you go! It’s even better than before—look at all the colors!" Lila exclaims, her nose twitching with excitement.
"Thank you. I couldn’t have done this without you both," Billy replies, his earlier sadness replaced by gratitude.
Billy’s mismatched homework earns him curious glances, but he stands tall with Lila and Toby at his side. The teacher smiles as Billy hands in his assignment, stickers and all.
"Sometimes the best days are the ones that don’t go as planned," Billy says, beaming with pride as his friends cheer.
