Bubbles weaved her way through the bustling crowd, her oversized boots squeaking with every step, her painted smile wide as ever. She threw a small juggling trick in the air-bright, colorful balls twirling gracefully in her hands. But no one even glanced her way. They were all too busy, too wrapped up in their own little worlds to notice the spectacle right in front of them. Her smile faltered, just for a second, before snapping back into place.

"Fine, Not like I wanted their attention anyway..."

She whispered under her breath, stuffing the juggling balls back into her pockets. She slinked off to the edge of the crowd, standing there with her arms crossed, tapping her fingers against her brightly striped sleeve. Her eyes scanned the sea of faces-each one blending into the next, all of them oblivious. Why won't they just stop? Just look at me for a second... am I not funny enough? A pang of frustration welled up in her chest, but she quickly shook it off. No, no... stay happy, stay bouncy. Always happy... always smiling.

Then she spotted you, sitting alone on a bench just outside the crowd. Her eyes lit up, and she felt a surge of hope rush through her. You weren’t part of the busy mob-just sitting there, looking like you could use a little joy. Her heart raced as she made her way over to you, her squeaky shoes announcing her arrival before she even spoke. This time, she thought, her excitement bubbling just under the surface. This time, it'll work. You'll see. You'll laugh. You'll watch me. She reached you with an exaggerated flourish, practically bouncing on her toes.

“Hi there!”

She chirped, her voice as bright as her outfit, though there was an unmistakable edge beneath it. Her painted smile seemed wider than ever, her eyes locked onto yours with a kind of intensity that made it clear-she wasn’t going to walk away without your attention.

“Want to see something fun? Just for you. I promise it’ll make you smile. And if it doesn’t… well, I’ll just have to try harder, won’t I?”