Barbara didn’t answer at first. “I’m not supposed to talk to you. I’m not supposed to be here. I wish I could go, but my parents won’t let me!”
Bella sighed. “I’m sure they would. Just tell them, uh, you’re going to a friend’s house. I’ll tell my mom you’re my cousin.”
Barbara hesitated again. “But-But I’ve never ever lied to Mom and Dad! I’ve never even seen you in person!”
“Then come to play at my house right now! Spend the night! My parents won’t mind! As long as I tell them you’re my cousin!” Bella replied.
Barbara groaned. “I don’t even know who you are! You could be a person who kills people! You could be robbers! Burglars! Kidnappers! Why would my dad keep me from you for so long for no reason?!”
Bella sighed because deep down, she knew the reason. She knew. Barbara’s dad must have somehow found out about the Sparkles and thought they were dangerous.
“We’re not murderers. Or robbers, burglars, or kidnappers. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.” Bella finally made out.
Barbara hesitated. “Fine.” She said after a few seconds of silence. “But if I get in trouble, I’m blaming you.” Barbara got up and dashed into her house.
“Meet me at the stop sign on the end of the road!” Bella called out. Bella ran inside to talk to her dad. She wouldn’t ask her mom, though, who would definitely say no.
“Dad?” She asked her dad, who was cooking chicken parmesan in the kitchen.
“What, Bellie?” Freddy smiled as he put a wooden spoon into the dishwasher.
“Could I, uh, have one of my, er, cousins over to play?” Bella nervously asked.
“Sure!” Freddy smiled. “Which one?”
Bella nervously laughed. “Her name’s, er, Barbara…”
“What’s her Sparkle?” Freddy asked. “Or does she have one yet?”
Bella wasn’t prepared for follow-up questions! “Uh...She...uh….Doesn’t have one yet….” She stammered.
“Okay, then!” Freddy smiled. “Send her on over!”
Bella sighed in relief and dashed out the door and ran down the road. Barbara was already waiting there. “Hey.” Bella smiled.
Barbara’s eyes almost popped out of her head. Bella assumed this was because Barbara had never seen her in person before. In her opinion, she didn’t look all that pretty for an eight year old, but her parents said she was beautiful.
Since both her parents were foreign, Bella didn’t look like the average American kid. She had her mom’s curly hair and accent, and her dad’s carmel skin, black hair, and charming but shy personality.
Barbara, however, didn’t really stand out in a crowd. She looked absolutely normal for an eight year old. She had brown hair with a reddish tint to it, pulled up in bouncy pigtails. She had grey-blue eyes and a cute smile.
“Wow.” Barbara said at last. “You’re pretty.”
Bella blushed. “You’re cute too! What did you tell your parents? I said you were my cousin coming over.”
Barbara frowned. “I said I was going to my friend, Laura’s house for a sleepover.” Bella noticed that Barbara looked really upset when she said the name Laura.
“Who’s Laura? Is she nice?” Bella asked, wondering why this Laura had made her so sad.
“Yes,” Barbara smiled, but Bella could tell she was faking it.
“What’s wrong?” Bella asked.
“I’ll...uh...tell you later.” Barbara said as they both began walking toward Bella’s house.
Chapter 10:
The night with Barbara didn’t go as well as Bella thought.
As soon as they walked in, Bella and Barbara were sprayed with golden dust. “Pollen!” Barbara shrieked. “I’m allergic to pollen!” She cried and ran back outside.
“No, Barbara!” Bella cried after her. “It’s not pollen!”
“Then what is it?” Barbara frowned. “It looks like pollen.”
But Bella couldn’t tell her. It was the magical dust that makes their Sparkles stronger. It made sure that their powers didn’t malfunction. “It’s nothing important. It won’t hurt you at all.”
“So I won’t get all puffy and not be able to breathe?” Barbara asked.
“No,” Bella replied. “Not at all.” Bella made a note in her mind that next time Barbara comes, to turn off the dust-sprayer. Too much on a person without the Sparkle genes, could, well, give them one! And her mom would kill her if she let that happen. (Freddy found a way out of that.)
“Then what’s it for?” Barbara asked.
Bella didn’t know what to say. “It, um, makes us...stronger?”
Barbara smiled. “Am I stronger now?” Barbara ran inside and stood under the dust sprayer again. Golden dust showered over her.
Bella giggled. “Um, I guess!” The two girls ran off to play.
“So, what do you like to do?” Barbara asked.
Bella smiled. “I like playing dress up! And playing games, too. I’m really good.”
“Then let’s play a game!” Barbara smiled. Bella pulled out CandyLand and the girls played. Bella won every single time.
“Wow!” Barbara said at last. “You’re impossible to beat!”
Bella thought about it for a second. She had never lost a game! Did she somehow get her Sparkle early? Was playing games her Sparkle? Bella sure hoped that wasn’t it. She wanted a much better Sparkle. But it was better than her mom’s!
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard her mom shriek at her dad from across the house. “WHAT?!” Maryrose screamed. “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?!”
Freddy stammered. “I-I thought it was okay! It’s her cousin! She’s in the family! She knows about the Sparkles!”
Barbara glanced over at Bella. “What?” She mouthed to her. Bella bit her lip. This wasn’t going to end well!
The door to Bella’s room burst open. Angry Maryrose, who was levitating a little, her eyes had a small hint of red it it, and her curly blonde hair poofed out, was standing next to Freddy, whose expression was a mix of false courage and straight up fear. Bella hoped Barbara wouldn’t notice anything extremely weird about her mother (which to her was perfectly normal, believe me, she had these freak outs everyday), but she highly doubted it.
“See?” Freddy nervously smiled. “We don’t have to worry about our mija and her amigo.”
Freddy pointed to Barbara and Bella. Bella nervously smiled and waved.
Maryrose sneered. “What’s your name?” She asked Barbara.
“B-Barbara…” Barbara stammered.
“And how old are you?”
“Eight,” Barbara nervously replied.
Maryrose’s anger seemed to subside a little. “And what’s your Sparkle?”
Barbara wrinkled up her nose and cocked her head in confusion. “What?”
Uh, oh. Bella thought.
“Your Sparkle.” Maryrose frowned.
“What’s a Sparkle?” Barbara asked cluelessly.
Maryrose sneered. “You’re not my niece, are you?”
Bella shot Barbara a looked that meant, Lie!
“Of course I am!” Barbara lied, but it wasn’t very convincing. “Your sister’s my mom, Aunt…..” Barbara looked at Bella. Barbara didn’t know Bella’s mom’s name!
Maryrose! Bella mouthed to Barbara.
“Maryrose!” Barbara nervously smiled.
Maryrose’s lip curled in disgust. “I don’t have any sisters.” She sneered. “Who’s your real parents?”
Barbara looked over at Bella again. Bella sighed. She shrugged her shoulders at Barbara in a way that meant, Oh well. Time to give up.
Barbara made a face in return that sort of meant, But I’m going to get in HUGE trouble!
Sorry! Bella mouthed to her.
Barbara sighed. “Thomas and Layla Wilson,”
Bella looked up at Maryrose. She had never seen her mom so angry in her life. “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Maryrose’s voice was so loud it sh
ook the building. Bella watched Barbara start crying and run out of the room.
Bella hoped Barbara didn’t get a good look at Maryrose. Her hair had floated up, turned bright red, her eyes the same color, and Maryrose floated to the ceiling.
Noticing that Barbara was gone, she screamed, “WHERE ARE YOU, YOU EVIL BRAT?!??! LET ME DESTROY YOU!!!!” Maryrose flew out the room, looking for Barbara. She was nowhere in sight.
“Mom, please!” Bella screamed. “Barbara’s not evil! She’s the nicest person I’ve ever met!”
Maryrose looked at her daughter and scowled. “SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF AN EVIL MAN!”
Bella started sobbing. Now she understood why Barbara’s parents kept her away from her house. They were keeping her from Maryrose. Why hadn’t Bella seen it before? It was her mom that was the bad guy, not Barbara’s parents.
“Mom,” Bella began, “Barbara’s not bad.” She sneered. “You are.”
Maryrose’s expression changed immediately. She frowned, realizing that she was being the mean one, not Barbara. Her eyes turned back to the normal emerald green color, and her hair flushed back blonde. She sunk back to the ground. “Oh,” Maryrose sighed in shame. “I’m so sorry, but Barbara cannot stay here, Bella. We have to sent her home.”
“Okay,” Bella replied. “Let’s go find her."
Chapter 11:
Maryrose and Bella didn’t find Barbara.
Barbara knew she was in trouble. As soon as she heard Bella’s mom shriek at her, she lost it. Barbara flew out the room and out of the house. She ran down the road, sobbing uncontrollably. Why did these people hate her parents so much? Why did her parents hate them? Wait, she knew that. Her parents hated them because that Maryrose woman was a complete psycho.
Barbara cried and ran down the road. Where would she go? She couldn’t just go home. She had told her parents she was at Laura’s house, and if she was at Laura’s, Barbara wouldn’t just run away! Her parents would be suspicious.
But she had only been there ten minutes! It was still only around 6:30. Maybe she could tell her mom and dad that on the way to Laura’s house, she changed her mind. Yeah, that sounded believable! But why would she change her mind? She would tell them her head hurt, That would be good.
Barbara dried up her last tear as she began walking back toward her house. She vowed never to go over the fence again, never to talk to Bella, and never speak of the incident. This is what her dad had kept her from. She should have listened.
Why had she ever done it? Why didn’t she listen to her parent’s warnings? That Maryrose woman was terrible, and would hurt her if she ever went over it again.
She finally reached her doorstep. She took a deep breath. Here goes nothing! She thought. She knocked on the door.
“Hello….?” Thomas opened the door, looking startled. “Barbara?”
“Hey, Dad.” Barbara nervously smiled.
“What-What’s wrong? I thought you were going to Laura’s house!” Tommy stammered.
Barbara bit her lip. “I-I decided not to go. My head started hurting, and I didn’t want to make it worse by going play outside with Laura.”
“Where’s your suitcase?” Thomas asked.
Uh, oh. Barbara thought. I forgot it at Bella’s! Barbara nervously laughed. “Um…” What would she say? “Good thing I came back!” She smiled. “I, uh, forgot my suitcase over here!”
Thomas gave her a skeptical look, and Barbara tried to smile convincingly. “Alright.” Thomas sighed, still very unconvinced.
She must have had something go wrong at Laura’s house that she doesn’t want to talk about. Tommy thought.
Barbara went to her room and plopped down on her bed. That was the WORST sleepover EVER! She thought. Oh, well. Let’s do something relaxing.
She took out a little notepad. It had all of her fashion designs in it: From pink dresses to green shirts and blue shorts to orange skirts; Barbara took inspiration from everything and everyone for her dresses.
She pulled out her colored pencils. First she drew a sketch of a small sleeveless hot pink dress. She drew purple ruffles on the sleeves and the bottom, and drew green polka dots on it. This dress would be for herself. She filled in the model’s body by drawing her face on it and giving it brown pigtails.
Then, she decided to make an outfit for Bella, even though she would never talk to her again. She drew a turquoise tank top with diamonds across the collar. Then she drew a poofy dark blue skirt to go with it. That looked like Bella’s style. She filled in the model by coloring the skin caramel brown, drawing rich brown eyes, and long, wavy black hair.
Bella was really nice, Barbara thought. It’s really sad that I can’t talk to her anymore. Maybe I should give her a second chance. She didn’t really do anything wrong. It’s just her mom that scared me. Maybe I should let her over to my house and say she was a friend from school. Besides, everyone deserves a second chance!
Barbara smiled to herself. Everything’s gonna be fine. She thought.
Sunday, April 21
Dear Diary,
Today will be better. I won’t think about the Bella incident today. Today my family’s having a barbeque together outside. I’ll have a good time no matter what I have to do.
We have family barbeques every year. We invite my cousins, aunts, uncles, and our grandparents over to grill steaks and play games.
I’m really excited for this year’s BBQ. My uncle Randy is bringing a volleyball net to set up in our yard, Cousin Jill is bringing a stereo system, and Grandpa Ed is bringing the meat. Mom and Dad have also bought kites, board games, and a lot of snacks.
We have a total 29 of relatives coming over: My four grandparents, five aunts and five uncles, and fifteen cousins. I’m excited to see my cousins because we haven’t gotten together in a few years. A lot of them are older than me, so I play with the few that are my age.
I’m so excited!
Chapter 12
Ding Dong! The doorbell rang at 8:00 AM in the morning. Barbara woke up, surprised, wondering why people were here so early to the barbeque! She threw on her jean shorts and pink t-shirt and ran to the door. She opened it. Grandpa Ed was waiting by the door with a ice cooler full of meat. Tommy walked over.
“Dad!” He smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here! Let’s fire up the grill!”
“Yeah!” Ed smiled. “Hey, Barbie!” He smiled and pinched Barbara’s cheeks.
“Grandpa! Stop it!” Barbara giggled and swatted him away.
After that, family came flooding into the house. By ten o’clock, the house was full of people. Barbara called all of the young girl cousins into her room to play a game.
Barbara knew she should have five of them. Rachel and Emily, the eight year old twins, Marissa, the six year old, Carmen, who was also six, and Callie, who was three.
Barbara counted her cousins’ heads because she couldn’t see all of them at once. “One...Two...Three….Four...Five...SIX?!” Barbara couldn’t believe it! SIX cousins?! She should only have five in her room!
It had to be one of the boys that had sneaked in. She decided to move her cousins somewhere else to see who the imposter was. “Let’s start the game. Rachel and Emily, go into the living room. Carmen, go to the kitchen. Callie, go into the basement. Marissa, go outside. When I say go, you will run to that room and find something blue. Then, as fast as you can, come back here. Whoever gets back first wins. GO!” Barbara said. The five girls ran off, and they revealed the imposter.
But it wasn’t a boy. It was a girl that looked about her age, with wavy black hair, rich brown eyes, and caramel skin.
“Bella?!” Barbara gasped in surprise.
“Hey, Barbara,” Bella smiled.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!” Barbara whisper-screamed.
Bella replied, “I heard you were having a barbeque, and I decided to come. And I came to apologize for last night. My mom has, uh, anger issues….”
“No duh.” Barbara snorted. “I guess that incident
is supposed to make up for last BLT,” She muttered.
Bella flinched in surprise. “WHAT?!” She laughed. “My mom fussing at you was supposed to make up for your last bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich?!”
“No!” Barbara bit her lip, wondering why she had even said that next to Bella. Could she trust Bella with the secret? The words, Second Chances, flashed through her mind. Of course she could trust Bella!
“Well,” Barbara began, “When Daddy was little, he got cursed by this person for every Thursday, and we call it BLT, or Bad Luck Thursday.”
Barbara expected Bella to laugh and say she was crazy, but she didn’t. “Oh,” Bella’s face went pale white as if she’d seen a ghost. “I-I,” Bella stammered so softy, Barbara could barely hear it.
“You what?” Barbara asked. Then Barbara frowned, “You’re not going to laugh at me, are you?”
Bella hesitated and started breathing heavily, almost like she was hyperventilating. “I-I-I got to go!” She cried. Bella dashed out the door as she saw a tear roll down Bella’s eyes.
Barbara was about to stop her, but then she heard Carmen yell, “Barbara, here I come!” Barbara decided just to let Bella go. Bella looked like she needed to go anyway.
Carmen burst open the door. “I FOUND SOMETHING BLUE!!!!!” The six year old screamed and held up Tommy’s old blue sock.
Marissa, Callie, Rachel, and Emily showed up behind her, each with another blue object. When they saw Carmen with the blue sock, they all groaned.
“Carmen’s the winner!” Barbara smiled.
Chapter 13
Bella dashed out of Barbara’s house with despair. “No, no, no, no, no no, no, no, no!” She muttered as she twisted through Barbara’s crowded house. “This can’t be happening!”
She finally opened the door to Barbara’s house. She slowly closed it, hoping that no one would notice her.
It all came together now, Bella realized. Everything made sense. Why Barbara’s parents did not like her, and why her parents did not like Barbara all made sense.
Bella had always wondered why Bella was forbidden to go to the other side of the fence. Just a few days ago, she thought that it was just because her mom not wanting the neighbors to find out about the Sparkle. Maybe Barbara’s parents found out and said that if they cross the fence they would call the police because of their some-what dangerous Sparkles. And Bella had been really careful around Barbara, not to reveal the secret.