It was a bright and sunny afternoon, and little Lala, full of energy and curiosity, had been playing outside in the yard since morning. The air was warm, the breeze gentle, and the flowers in the garden were in full bloom. Birds chirped happily, and butterflies danced through the air. Lala, a sweet and lively little girl with messy ponytails and scraped knees, loved nothing more than exploring the world around her.
That day, she had made a grand mud pie castle, chased after the neighbor’s cat (who was not at all amused), and crawled under the fence to pick wildflowers. She had rolled around in the grass, climbed the mango tree in the backyard, and even tried to catch a frog by the pond. It was a day full of fun and adventure — just the way Lala liked it.
But after a while, she started to feel… weird.
She scratched her arm.
Then her back.
Then her leg.
Lala frowned. “Huh?” she muttered, looking at the red patches appearing on her skin.
Her mom, Thuy, peeked out from the kitchen window and called out, “Lala, are you okay?”
Lala shook her head and whined, “I feel itchy all over!”
Thuy came out and looked closely at her. Lala was covered in tiny bits of grass, specks of dirt, and possibly a few ant bites from sitting near the anthill earlier. “Looks like you’ve been playing a little too hard,” her mom said with a laugh, brushing off her shirt. “You’re all sweaty, dirty, and itchy!”
Lala pouted. “I don’t like this feeling, Mommy. I feel like there are bugs dancing on my skin!”
“Well,” Thuy said thoughtfully, “you could go take a bath.”
But Lala’s eyes lit up with a better idea.
“No! I want to SWIM!”
Behind their house was a small but lovely blue swimming pool. It wasn’t too deep, and Lala had her floaties and toys always ready. It was her favorite place to cool down and relax — and now, it felt like a perfect solution to her itchy problem.
Thuy chuckled. “Alright then, my little water bug. Let’s go get you changed.”
Within minutes, Lala was in her bright pink swimsuit with polka dots and little ruffles on the sides. She strapped on her arm floaties and grabbed her favorite pool toy — a yellow rubber duck named Quackers.
She raced to the pool with Quackers in one hand and a huge smile on her face.
“Cannonball!” she shouted as she jumped in — though it was more like a small splash, given her size.
The cool water surrounded her, washing away all the itchiness, dirt, and discomfort. Lala sighed in relief and floated on her back, looking up at the blue sky.
“Aaahhh, this is sooo much better,” she whispered.
She splashed around, laughing and kicking, letting the water carry away all her troubles. She played mermaid, then dolphin, then decided she was a superhero on a secret swimming mission. Her rubber duck floated along, occasionally getting caught in the gentle waves she made.
Thuy sat nearby under a shady umbrella, sipping iced tea and watching her daughter play with a peaceful smile.
“Mommy!” Lala shouted. “Look! I’m a swimming jellyfish!”
“Wow!” her mom laughed. “The cutest jellyfish I’ve ever seen!”
Lala giggled and dove under the water, coming back up with her hair sticking to her face. “The water feels sooo good. I’m not itchy anymore!”
“I told you swimming is magical,” her mom replied with a wink.
As the minutes passed, Lala swam and splashed and sang songs to Quackers. The sun began to dip slightly, and golden light shimmered across the pool surface.
But just when she was about to get out, something unexpected happened.
Lala noticed something floating nearby — it was a little insect struggling in the water.
“Oh no!” she gasped. “Mommy, look! It’s a bug and it’s drowning!”
Thuy walked over, concerned. “Do you want to help it?”
“Yes!” Lala said with determination. Carefully, using a leaf from the edge of the pool, she scooped up the bug and placed it safely on a nearby flower pot. It flapped its wings and flew away.
Lala beamed. “I saved it!”
“You’re not just a swimming jellyfish,” Thuy said. “You’re a superhero jellyfish!”
Lala laughed and spun around in the water proudly.
After almost an hour of play, Lala’s fingers were wrinkled like little raisins. She slowly climbed out of the pool, wrapped herself in her fluffy blue towel, and plopped onto a sun chair.
“I feel so much better now,” she said softly. “Not itchy, not hot… just happy.”
Thuy handed her a cup of cold orange juice and kissed her damp forehead. “I’m glad you feel better, sweetheart. Sometimes, all we need is a good splash and some fresh air.”
Lala sipped her juice and looked back at the pool. Quackers floated quietly, still on duty. The breeze carried the scent of jasmine flowers, and a few birds sang their evening songs.
Then she looked at her mom with a sly grin. “Tomorrow, can I get itchy again so I can swim again?”
Thuy laughed out loud. “How about you just ask to go swimming next time, and we skip the itchiness part?”
“Deal!” Lala replied with a grin.
That night, after a warm bath (yes, Lala had to take one after swimming too), she cuddled into bed with her stuffed animals. She whispered to them about her adventures as a jellyfish superhero and how she saved a bug from drowning.
As she drifted off to sleep, she was already dreaming of more backyard fun, more swimming, and of course, more exciting adventures.
Because with a curious heart, a splash of imagination, and a little rubber duck named Quackers, every day was a magical journey for little Lala.
The End.
