#3 Mirrored (3 page)

“You see, you think I'm a reflection. But it's just a trick to hide
our
world. I'm real, like you.”

“Outside
my
bedroom is a world made of glass. Glass that never breaks. Even the
people
are glass. It's really beautiful.”

Abbey was amazed. A glass world!

“Now, we're
supposed
to copy everything people do when they look in a mirror,” Bee said. “But I'm so
bored
with that. I'm sick of pretending I don't exist. I wanted to meet you, Abbey, and learn about your world.”

Abbey and Bee became great friends. Abbey told Bee about her boring school and her parents and Pearse and the kids who didn't get her.

Bee told Abbey about the times when Pearse came into her room when she wasn't there and tried to find her diary so he could read it.

She also told her about the world of glass, entire glass cities stretching for miles. About the sparkling buildings. People who looked like ice sculptures. Orange skies above a lemon street.

Abbey loved Bee. She was just like her. She understood Abbey in a way that no one else could.

She could tell Bee her secrets. She knew Bee would never betray her.

And Bee could watch her room for her.

You never knew what Pearse would do. He was such a sneak.

Abbey told Bee about how Pearse never had time for her. He treated her like a child and teased her whenever she said anything.

Abbey had found a best friend, a twin. At her house. In her room!

Then, one Saturday afternoon, Abbey ran into her room sobbing. Pearse had made fun of one of her best drawings. Things like this were always happening in the Street family. When she got upset, her parents told her to stop being silly.

She was so angry!

She ran to Bee and told her all about it. “I wish I could get out of here. Sometimes I
hate
them. I wish I could be someplace different,” she sniffed. “Somewhere away from
them.”

Bee looked at Abbey and said softly, “You know, Abs, there is
something
you could do.”

Abbey stopped sniffing. “What?”

“You could come in here.”

“Oh,” Abbey cried,
“could
I?”

“Of course.”

“Really, Bee?! I could?”

“Of course, Abs. You're my best friend.” They grinned at each other and burst out laughing.

“But one thing,” Bee said. “I'd have to come out there. That's the only way it would work.”

Abbey made a face. “Pearse would think you were me. He would be so mean to you.”

“Don't you worry about that.” Bee smiled. “I can handle Pearse.”

Abbey and Bee agreed to swap the next afternoon. Just for a couple of hours.

Abbey could hardly sleep that night. What an adventure. Like flying around the world in night goggles. But this was
real.

After lunch Bee and Abbey faced each other in the mirror. Both of them were serious and nervous.

“OK, Bee, here we go.” Abbey stepped forward and reached to touch Bee's hands through the mirror. She took a deep breath.

Abbey felt a strange, cold sensation like she was passing through icy water. She came out on the other side of the mirror.

It was very weird. Everything was opposite. The letters of her name above her bed were backward. Abbey turned back to the mirror.