Lila yawned, craving sleep. Then it hit her – Saturday! Her eyes snapped open. Today, she’d ride her new pony! She leapt from bed, tugged on jeans, and slipped into new boots. Imagining Buttercup’s soft neigh, Lila grinned, her heart racing. She dashed downstairs and burst into the kitchen. 

Her mother was buttering toast, eyes twinkling. “Breakfast?” she teased, knowing her daughter’s mind was elsewhere. 

Lila kissed her cheek, grabbed an apple, and yelled, “Be right back!,” bolting outside. The barn called, her boots kicking up dust as she ran.