It was a bright afternoon in the small town where Lala lived with her family. The sun painted the roofs gold, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh flowers into the house. In the kitchen, on the counter, sat a row of colorful little bowls of jelly. They shimmered like gemstones—red strawberry, green lime, yellow mango, and purple grape. Mom had made them early in the morning for the evening dessert.
But Lala, with her curious eyes and always-hungry tummy, couldn’t wait until evening. She leaned against the kitchen doorframe, peeking inside, her eyes fixed on the jelly. Her mouth watered as she imagined the smooth, wobbly sweetness melting on her tongue.
“Just one won’t hurt…” she whispered to herself, even though she knew Mom had said, ‘Wait until after dinner.’
But Lala wasn’t alone in her plan. She had two partners in crime—Bon, her chubby little cousin with cheeks round like buns, and Siba, her neighbor who was always quick with ideas and even quicker with laughter.
She tiptoed back outside where Bon and Siba were waiting near the garden fence.
“Well?” Siba asked eagerly, brushing his messy hair out of his eyes. “Did you see them?”
“Yes,” Lala whispered dramatically. “They’re all sitting there… shiny and cold. Mom said not until tonight, but—” she paused with a mischievous grin—“we could take a few and no one would notice!”
Bon’s eyes widened. “Really? But… but what if your mom finds out? She’ll be angry!”
“Don’t worry,” Lala said, puffing her chest proudly. “I’m very good at sneaking. Besides, we’ll just take one each. No one will ever know.”
The three of them exchanged an excited glance. Then, like little thieves in a fairytale, they tiptoed into the house. Lala led the way, careful not to let her slippers squeak on the tiles. They stopped at the kitchen door, peeking in like spies.
The coast was clear.
With a quick motion, Lala darted inside, her small hands reaching for the jelly bowls. She grabbed three of them—one red, one yellow, one purple—and carefully slipped them into a tray. She tiptoed back out, heart pounding with both fear and excitement.
“We did it!” she whispered as they rushed back to the garden.
The three children hid behind the big mango tree, where the leaves cast a shady curtain around them. They set the jelly on the grass, and for a moment, they just stared at it, the sunlight making it glisten like treasure.
Bon licked his lips. “Which one do I get?”
“You can take the mango one,” Lala said generously, pushing the yellow bowl toward him.
“I want grape!” Siba quickly said, snatching the purple one.
“That leaves strawberry for me,” Lala said, happily picking up her own red jelly.
They each dug their spoons into the cool, wobbly dessert. The jelly shook and bounced before breaking apart, and the moment they tasted it, their eyes widened in delight.
“Mmm!” Bon said with his mouth full. “It’s so sweet!”
Lala laughed so hard she nearly dropped her spoon. “You two are silly! But… I do wish we had more. Just one bowl isn’t enough.”
The three of them exchanged glances. Slowly, their mischievous smiles returned.
“Should we… take more?” Siba whispered.
Lala hesitated. She knew it was risky, but the taste of the jelly still lingered sweetly on her tongue. “Maybe just one more each,” she said, trying to convince herself. “There are so many bowls—Mom won’t notice three more.”
Bon’s belly grumbled in agreement. “Let’s do it.”
And so, the little team of jelly thieves crept back into the kitchen once again. This time, they moved even more carefully. Lala reached for the tray, but just as she was about to take it, footsteps echoed in the hallway.
“Hide!” Siba hissed.
The children ducked under the table, holding their breath as Mom walked in. She looked at the jelly, counted the bowls softly, then left without suspecting a thing.
Once the coast was clear, the kids stifled their laughter. “That was close!” Lala whispered. She quickly grabbed three more bowls—green lime, another red strawberry, and another yellow mango—and they ran outside to their mango-tree hideout.
They ate even faster this time, giggling at their daring adventure. But by the time they finished, Bon’s belly was so full he lay down on the grass, groaning.
“Ohhh… I ate too much jelly,” he moaned.
“Me too,” Siba admitted, rubbing his stomach.
Lala laughed, but then she froze. Through the garden window, she could see Mom coming outside, holding a tray with the remaining jelly bowls. Mom’s eyebrows were slightly raised as if she noticed something strange.
The three kids looked at each other in panic.
“What do we do?” Bon whispered.
“Act normal!” Siba suggested.
But their sticky faces and guilty giggles betrayed them instantly.
Mom approached slowly, her eyes narrowing at the empty bowls scattered behind the tree. “Lala,” she said firmly, “did you take the jelly?”
Lala gulped. Her cheeks turned red as she lowered her head. “Yes, Mama. But… but I shared with Bon and Siba. We just couldn’t wait.”
For a moment, there was silence. The children held their breath, expecting a scolding. But then, Mom sighed and shook her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips.
“You three are like little squirrels, always sneaking food,” she said. “Next time, you should ask. I made plenty for everyone.”
“Sorry, Mama,” Lala said softly.
“Sorry,” Bon and Siba echoed together.
Mom looked at their sticky faces again and burst out laughing. “Well, since you’ve already eaten half of it, you might as well help me serve the rest this evening. But no more sneaking, understand?”
“Yes, Mama!” they all chorused.
That evening, when dinner was over, the rest of the family gathered in the garden for dessert. Mom served the remaining jelly, and this time, everyone ate together. Bon, Siba, and Lala sat quietly, though they couldn’t help exchanging little smiles, remembering their secret adventure earlier.
The jelly tasted just as sweet, but somehow, it was even better when shared with everyone.
As the stars appeared above, Bon leaned toward Lala and whispered, “That was fun. Next time, let’s sneak cookies.”
Lala giggled but shook her head. “Maybe… but only if Siba comes too!”
The three friends laughed, their secret safe between them, their bellies full of jelly and joy.
