𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 II 𝘢 𝘬𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘤 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

prologue - secrets

Humming could be heard, echoing throughout the house. A small blonde girl with wide brown eyes played with the two small dolls in their house. The little girl giggled.

The humming wasn't coming from her, it was coming from the bathroom down the hall. A girl with similar attributes all but her blue eyes was humming a small song. The humming stopped and the girl opened her mouth to speak.

"Sophie, could you come help me?"

The small girl with wide eyes put down her dolls and waddled over to the older one. She peaked her small head into the bathroom. "With what?" Two strings decorating the older girl's dress ran long, almost touching the floor.

"Could you help me tie these into a nice bow?" The girl held the strings out to Sophie.

Sophie nodded eagerly. No one had trusted her, she was new, different. A new family with no friends unless you count the kind older sister. And she had just been taught how to tie a bow. She grabbed the strings, looping the bunny ears and creating a neat bow.

The older girl smiled. "Thanks."

Sophie smiled up at her. "Why are we dressed so fancy anyways, Jolie?" Sophie liked the girl's name. Jolie. It was pretty. It was familiar. It was kind.

Jolie grabbed a brush and ran it through Sophie's hair. "Well, Sophie, we're going to go take family pictures." Sophie also liked when Jolie said her name. It meant she wasn't just a somebody nobody cared about. A somebody people took in just for money. She was a somebody worth remembering.

Sophie looked down at her neat beige dress. She was dressed up too. "Am I going to be in the picture?"

Jolie looked down at the young girl sympathetically. She pushed a sad smile on her face. "Of course, Sophie. You're part of the family now."

Sophie was distracted by the flowy look her hair had donned. She snapped out, reminded of her new toys that needed friends. She wanted friends. "Do you want to play dolls with me?"

Jolie looked at her phone on the sink counter, a ding signifying more messages from friends and possibly others. She looked at the small girl with wide, hopeful eyes. "I would love to."

Jolie walked to Sophie's room, remembering how the little girl was so surprised to have something of her own, something nice.

"Which one do you want to be?" Sophie asked, disrupting Jolie of her thoughts.

Jolie looked between the four characters. "You pick for me."

Sophie's eyes brightened with joy. "This one." It looked like Jolie.

The two played for a few minutes before Jolie put down her doll and turned to Sophie, who gave a confused face.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Jolie asked.

Sophie nodded. She wanted to know a secret. Secrets had meaning and Sophie had felt like nothing her whole life.

"Swan song. If anyone ever tells you that, it means you can trust them. It means you're safe. Okay? Remember that for me. Swan song."

"Swan song," Sophie repeated. She was safe.

"Just don't ever tell that to someone. Okay? Then they will know the secret, and it won't be secret anymore, okay?"

Sophie nodded seriously. "Okay."

The two were called to go in the car so they could take their pictures. Sophie brought a doll along to play with. The one that looked like Jolie. She held the doll close to her heart, like she held the secret itself.

Swan song.

She was safe.