The Mirror of the DreamDaisy

Chapter One: A Surprise Birthday Gift

Hi everyone!! If you're reading this you are superamazing!!:) 

P.S. If you've read Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger, pls check out my fanfiction sometime:) if you haven't, just keep reading:)

Anyways, I've distracted you enough...here's the chapter!!:)

Annabelle Sinclair glanced in the reflection of the glass windowpane. A mountain of pink frills and lacy ribbons stared back at her. Despite what seemed like a tonne of heavy makeup lathered on her face, Annabelle managed to twist her features into a scowl.

" Do I have to wear this dress for my party, Mum? I'm turning twelve, not sixteen."

Even though Annabelle wasn't a tomboy, she had good reason to be horrified. The dress was so sparkly you could see it from a mile away, and the wispy train wasn't much better. Overall, it screamed look at me.

"Of course, Annie, " her mother said. "You look so grown up. Just like Olivia."

Annabelle rolled her eyes. She hated being frequently compared to her big sister.

"Hey, Mum, don't I look like Olivia, too?"

Annabelle turned around, only to find her other sister, Rosie. Dressed in a pink glittery tutu of her own, Rosie spun in a circle, looking every inch like a tiny princess.

"Yes, Rosie. You do, " their mother replied, ruffling Rosie's curly brown hair. "Now, why don't you two go upstairs and chat for a while. I'm going to go and handle all the decorations."

"Can I help?" Rosie asked, typically.

"Well, I don't know about that, Rosie. We can't be good at everything."

Rosie could, Annabelle thought bitterly. Her perfect nine-year- old sister got A's in every subject, was always praised in sport, and was taking professional art lessons. She, on the other hand, was a more average kind of child.

"So, " her mother interrupted. "Just relax and have a nice birthday. Oh, and Annabelle?"

"Yes?"

"Will you two get along for one day? It's annoying listening to your bickering."

"Fiiiiiiiine."

The two of them lay on Annabelle's bed a while later, staring at the ceiling. Or at least Annabelle was.

"Annie?" Rosie asked timidly.

"What do you want now?" Annabelle replied annoyedly. Perhaps too annoyedly, she thought, watching Rosie shrink into the doona like a scared mouse.

"I- I just wanted to say happy birthday, " Rosie said. 

Annabelle stared at her sister in shock. Since when was Rosie actually being nice to her? The simple statement definitely wasn't along the lines of Give me a sweet, or Play with me.

"Thank you, Rosie." Annabelle smiled at her. Rosie smiled back, and for a moment Annabelle thought the moment might last. Except it didn't. The doorbell chimed, and Rosie rushed to get out. 

"It might be Serena!" she exclaimed. Annabelle sighed. Even though Serena was her friend, Rosie had charmingly convinced the girl into her sweetness. Slumping downstairs after Rosie, Annabelle had expected to see Serena. Or at least a relative. But no one was outside. There was nothing except a parcel wrapped in silver paper.