Lily's Zebra Stripe Adventure

Lily bounced on the balls of her feet, bundled in a bright pink coat that barely contained her wintery excitement. The freshly fallen snow sparkled like a million diamonds. She was heading to the library, and Grandpa promised warm cocoa after the library. But first, she had to cross the street.
Her grandpa held her hand tightly. "Remember Lily-bug you always need to be extra careful when you cross the street," he said. They stopped at the curb, joining a small line of people waiting for the crossing signal.
Lily, impatient, wiggled her toes. "But Grandpa," she whined, her breath puffing out in white clouds. "Can't we just cross now? There aren't any cars."
Grandpa knelt down so their eyes met. "We never know when a car might come, sweetie. It's like sneaky ninjas. You can't see them until they're right there." He pointed to the worn white lines on the road. "Those are the zebra stripes. They're for safe crossing, just like at the zoo!"
Lily giggled. "Zebra stripes, okay!"
The little green walking man finally appeared on the signal. Grandpa squeezed her hand. "Look left, right, and left again. Make sure it's all clear."
Lily followed his instructions, her eyes scanning the quiet street. Then she took a small step onto the crosswalk, Grandpa by her side. They walked at a steady pace, Lily humming a tune inspired by her zebra crossing adventure.
Reaching the other side, Grandpa ruffled her hair. "See, that wasn't so bad, right? Now, warm cocoa is definitely earned!" Lily grinned and said “Can I also have a cinnamon roll with my cocoa?” Grandpa laughed.
The library was just a few steps away, but for a moment, the thrill of crossing the street safely, with Grandpa by her side, felt like the biggest adventure of all.