The Secret Snack Stash

Sameer was a fun-loving boy who loved sharing stories with his friends during lunchtime at school. Every day, he would eagerly wait for the bell to ring, signaling the start of lunch. However, Sameer had a secret: he often kept a stash of snacks hidden in his backpack that he didn’t want to share with anyone. He loved his snacks so much that he feared his friends would take them if they found out. 

 

One sunny afternoon, Sameer and his best friend Riya were sitting under their favorite tree during lunch. Sameer had brought his beloved chocolate chip cookies, but instead of sharing, he quickly stuffed them into his backpack.

 

As Riya unwrapped her sandwich, she noticed the delicious smell wafting from Sameer’s backpack. “What do you have in there?” she asked curiously.

 

“Oh, just some boring stuff,” Sameer replied, feeling guilty for not sharing. He knew that if he told her about the cookies, she might want some, and he wasn’t ready to share.

  

Later that day, during art class, Sameer overheard Riya talking to another classmate. “I bet Sameer has the best snacks today! He always brings the yummiest food!”

 

Feeling a mix of guilt and pride, Sameer replied, “Nah, I don’t have anything special.” But inside, he felt bad about lying to his friend.

 

Question: Have you ever wanted to keep something special to yourself instead of sharing? How did it make you feel?

 

As the days went by, Sameer continued to hide his snacks and lie about them, even to Riya, who would ask about his food. “Sameer, are you sure you don’t have anything good today?” she would tease, and he would shake his head, trying to hide his guilty smile.

 

One day, during lunch, Sameer decided to pull out his secret stash. He quickly opened his backpack, thinking he could enjoy his cookies without anyone noticing. But as he took a bite, Riya looked over and exclaimed, “Hey! Are those chocolate chip cookies? You do have something special!”

 

Caught off guard, Sameer felt panic rise. “Um, these? No, they’re just some old cookies my mom made!” he fibbed, feeling a pang of guilt as he lied to his friend.

 

Question: Why do you think Sameer didn’t want to share his snacks with Riya?

 

Feeling bad about lying, Sameer avoided eye contact with Riya. As the days went by, he noticed that Riya was a bit distant, and he started to miss their fun conversations. One afternoon, as they walked home together, Riya asked, “Why don’t you ever want to share your snacks with me? Friends share, right?”

 

Sameer felt a rush of shame. “You’re right. I’ve been keeping my snacks a secret because I didn’t want to share, but that’s not fair. I’m really sorry, Riya.”

 

That evening, Sameer made a decision. The next day, he would bring extra cookies to school and share them with Riya.

 

The next lunch period, Sameer approached Riya with a smile, holding out a box of cookies. “Here! I brought some for us to share!”

 

Riya’s face lit up. “Wow, thank you! This is awesome!”

 

As they enjoyed the cookies together, Sameer felt a warm glow inside. Sharing his treats not only made Riya happy, but it also made him feel good too.

 

Moral: Lying to keep things to ourselves might seem easier, but sharing brings friends closer and creates joy in our friendships.