Once upon a time, in a busy school full of big kids, there was a quiet kid named Alex. Alex was only in the tenth grade, and often felt like a little mouse in a huge maze. The school was like a giant painting, with each kid a splash of color. Some colors were bright and always in the middle of the painting, while Alex felt like a soft hue, hidden away in a corner.

Alex loved to draw. Every chance he got, he would scribble and doodle. In the back of the classroom, his notebook was filled with dragons, spaceships, and all sorts of magical things. But nobody knew about Alex's drawings. They were his secret, tucked away under the maths problems and history dates.

One day, a kind teacher found Alex's notebook. She saw his drawings and was amazed. 'You’ve got a gift, Alex!' she exclaimed. With twinkling eyes, she asked if Alex could help with the big school play by making the backdrop. Alex blushed but nodded. He was scared but also a tiny bit excited.

As Alex began to paint the backdrop for the play, word got around. At first, only a few peeked over his shoulder. But then more and more kids started to watch Alex bring a magical world to life. Soft whispers of 'wow' and 'awesome' flew around him like gentle butterflies.

The night of the play arrived. The bright lights shone, the backdrop was hung, and gasps filled the air. It was a masterpiece. The play hadn’t even started, but Alex’s painting was already a star. Kids who never talked to him before gave him high-fives.

There was a mean kid named Jordan, who always acted like he was the king of the school. Jordan didn't like that Alex was getting all this attention. During the play, he tried to make fun of the backdrop. But something magical happened. The characters in Alex’s painting seemed to move, and the crowd cheered louder. Jordan's meanness was no match for Alex's talent.

After the play, kids lifted Alex onto their shoulders, cheering for the shy boy who created a masterpiece. Teachers beamed at him, and even Jordan came up to say sorry and shake his hand. Alex realized that it didn’t matter if he was shy. He had found his color in the school’s giant painting simply by being himself.