WHATEVER AFTER DREAM ON

                                   *CHAPTER ONE *
             -THERE IS NO SLEEPING AT A SLEEPOVER

IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT AND MY NEW BEST FRIEND,ROBIN, IS SLEEPING OVER.

WE'RE IN THE BASEMENT.SHE'S TEACHING ME A DANCE ROUTINE HER OLDER SISTER SHOWED HER.RIGHT KICK, LEFT KICK,ARMS UP,TURN! WE'RE PRACTICING IN THE MIRROR.WE'RE GETTING VERY GOOD.

I AM HAVING MY VERY FIRST SLEEPOVER SINCE I MOVED TO SMITHVILLE.

I HAVE MY VERY FIRST SMITHVILLE BEST FRIEND.

I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO SMITHVILLE BEST FRIENDS,ROBIN & FRANKIE.BUT I'M ALLOWED TO INVITE ONLY ONE PERSON TO SLEEP OVER AT A TIME SINCE I HAVE ONLY ONE TRUNDLE BED.ALSO,ACCORDING TO MOM ,TWO KIDS SLEEPING OVER IS ONE TOO MANY.I'M GOING TO HAVE FRANKIE OVER NEXT TIME.

I'M GIDDY.WHICH WILL MAKE THE " GOING TO SLEEP " PART OF THE SLEEPOVER A BIT OF A PROBLEM.BUT YOU'RE NOT REALLY SUPPOSED TO SLEEP AT SLEEPOVERS,ARE YOU?.YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT AND WHISPER SECRETS.ALSO SNEAK INTO THE KITCHEN & MAKE S'MORES IF YOU HAVE THE INGREDIENTS,WHICH I DO.I BOUGHT THEM AT THE GROCERY STORE ON WEDNESDAY TO PREPARE.

ANYWAY.THERE WILL BE NO SLEEPING AT MY SLEEPOVER.THERE WILL BE ONLY FUN.

SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS IN THE BASEMENT FLICKER ON AND OFF.

"WHAT IS THAT?" ROBIN ASKS,LOOKING AROUND.
"I DON'T KNOW ," I SAY,GETTING A QUESY FEELING IN MY STOMACH.

I SHOOT A NERVOUS GLANCE AT THE MIRROR.IT'S AN ANTIQUE,AND ABOUT TWICE THE SIZE OF ME.THE FRAME IS MADE OF STONE AND ENGRAVED WITH FAIRIES AND WANDS.ALSO,IT'S MAGIC. (MORE ON THAT IN A SEC.)

I HEAR MY SEVEN YEAR OLD BROTHER GIGGLING FROM UPSTAIRS.

"JONAH!" I YELL. "STOP PLAYING WITH THE LIGHTS !!"

THE BASEMENT GOES BLACK.

"TURN THAT BACK ON THIS SECOND!" I HOLLER."MOOOOOOOOOM! MAKE HIM STOP!"

THE LIGHTS FLICK BACK ON.THERE'S MORE GIGGLING.
"SORRY MY BROTHER IS SO ANNOYING ," I GRUMBLE.
ROBIN SHRUGS. "NO PROB.LITTLE BROTHER'S ARE CUTE."

ONLY SOMEONE WITHOUT A LITTLE BROTHER WOULD CALL LITTLE BROTHERS CUTE.

ROBIN HAS A RIDICULOUSLY cool OLDER SISTER NAMED DALIA.

DALIA TEACHES ROBIN DANCE ROUTINES,LET'S HER BORROW HER HOOP EARRINGS, & SHOWS HER HOW TO APPLY GREEN EYE SHADOW.DALIA DOES NOT FLICKER THE LIGHTS TO ANNOY HER SISTER.

"WHERE WERE WE?" I ASK,GETTING BACK INTO POSITION.I CATCH OUR REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR.ROBIN'S HAIR IS STRAWBERRY BLONDE AND SUPER CURLY.DALIA SHOWED HER HOW TO SCRUNCH IT WITH GEL.MY BROWN HAIR IS WAVY AND BORING.OUR PAJAMAS ARE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US.ROBIN'S WEARING FUNKY BLACK PAJAMA BUTTOMS AND A SPARKLY TOP (THEY'RE HAND-ME-DOWNS-FROM DALIA).MY NEW PAJAMAS ARE DEFINITELY CUTE ---THEY HAVE A DOG PAW PRINT ON THEM ---BUT THEY LOOK BABYISH NEXT TO ROBIN'S.ROBIN NOTICES I'M STARING AT OUR REFLECTION AND WAVES.SHE'S WEARING PASTEL GREEN NAIL POLISH. " THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE MIRROR,DON'T YOU THINK?" SHE ASKS,TOUCHING THE MIRROR'S SMOOTH GLASS.

" WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" I ASK,EVEN THOUGH I AGREE.OF COURSE I AGREE.

HERE'S WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT OUR MIRROR.
* A FAIRY NAMED MARYROSE LIVES INSIDE IT.
* WHEN YOU KNOCK 3 TIMES ON IT,THE MIRROR STARTS TO SWIRL AND HISS AND TURN PURPLE.
* IT SLURPS YOU UP AND TAKES YOU INTO A FAIRYTALE.
CALLING THE MIRROR ODD IS BIG UNDERSTATEMENT.