Ever After High Diaries:Volume 1

Cedar Wood:Chapter 1

True Colors

When I was just a splinter in my dad's eye, the story of my life was already written. It doesn't have any princes or sappy stuff. It's the story of the puppet getting in logs of trouble while trying to discover how to become real.

Well, I cannot tell a lie... No, I mean, I really cannot tell a lie. After I was carved from magical wood, dad wished for the blue-haired fairy to make me kind, caring and honest. I wish he spent a little more time thinking about his word choice. She took him WAY too literally. Now I have to tell the truth no matter what. So how am I supposed to become a real girl? The entire Pinocchio story is about searching my heart for the right choices. I don't have any choice! Someone asks me a question and the truth just flies out of my mouth. It's not that I want to tell a lie. Hex, at this point I don't even want to follow my destiny. I just want to make my own decisions. That's hard as oak when I have a curse that doesn't let me think about what I want to say. Shouldn't I be able to pull the strings? The good news is one day I'll be free (knock on wood). Until then, at least I have my imagination.

Art is my favorite class. Truthfully, it's my only real outlet. I can plug in my headphones, turn up my muse-ic, dip my brush and paint away. I never worry about truth or lies; curses or wishes. There's something about a blank canvas that feels… free.

But I was throne for a loop by our latest assignment, Emotion. I had to paint a powerful feeling. How do I paint joy? Or sadness, or love? All I felt was confused.

I finally decided to paint the moment when I become a real girl. It sounds like a happy moment, right? As I finished, Professor Card came over. Formerly a guard who painted the Queen of Heart's roses red, Professor Card knows a string or two about pressure.

He thoughtfully tapped his chin, "Technically, it's perfect, yet emotionally, it's empty. I can tell you want me to feel happiness, but I don't feel your joy."

My heart went timmmmberrrrr... "How do you paint 'joy', sir?"

"Cedar," Professor Card kindly smiled, "you know. You just don't know you know. Find your true voice. Then you'll know."