"Pearl!..."
"P-E-A-R-L!!!"
"!!!" Hide and seek with Pearl was always a difficult game. Having lived in Kurain Village all her life and being a very small little girl, she knew thousands of places to curl up and hide. Usually she went easy on "Mister Nick," but this time he had challenged her. He had actually said that she was too easy to find, even though he himself was always visible in his blue suit when it was his turn to hide. This time she made a bet with Mister Nick and Mystic Maya, if they could not find her they would go on a romantic date and Pearl was certain that the pair would fall in love and bring her presents and take her to the circus again as thanks. But if she lost, Pearl would have to admit that Mister Nick and Mystic Maya were not each other's special someone. Pearl would never say something like that, not while there was still love in the world. Because Pearl knew that her cousin and Mister Nick were destined to be together, forever, and get married! And have babies! Lots of babies! And buy ponies and ride up and down the countryside on them! And have picnics on the beach!
Yes, young Pearl had their married life all planned out.
So this time, rather than lying down in the big clothes basket or behind the screen in the channeling room, she found a very difficult hiding spot. One that no one would ever suspect. She waited in the bushes as Mystic Maya peered under the porch, and held her breath as Mister Nick tried to open up the big mailbox. Finally, Mister Nick yelled from inside the main building that he thought he had found Pearly. That was when Pearl made her move.
She grabbed a cleverly hidden backpack from the bush next to hers, called to her friend in the shrub behind and the girls switched clothing. Clair Fey was Pearl's cousin, and one of the top members of the Channeling School's Master Maya-Mister Nick fan club. Clair also had hair that was a light brown similar to Pearl's, and was that same size. The two girls had been plotting since morning, and because Clair was going to the city with her mother today it would be a perfect decoy. Pearl put on Clair's circular red glasses and tied her hair into a braid, while Clair put in contact lenses and put her hair into two knotted pony-tails. Wearing a light blue Kurain jacket and off-white dress, Pearl looked just like Clair and vice versa. "Clair, it's time to go!" called Clair's mother.
"Just a minute!!!" Clair got up to leave, and Mystic Maya and Mister Nick were coming down the hill towards her. They spotted her instantly and ran after her, but "Pearl" was to quick. She ran onto the train after her mother and the doors closed behind her. One more train car door was open, and the pursuers jumped in. The doors were closing and the train started moving just in time for Pearl to see Mister Nick and Mystic Maya being stopped by the conductor for their tickets, and Clair looking nervously at her in the bush.
Now Pearl was going to win, she was sure of it. And she knew that Mister Nick and Mystic Maya would win too. After all they would fall in love and have a life together.
Chuckling to herself, Pearl stepped out of the bush taking the backpack with her and watching the train leave the station.
Pearl wandered into the school room of the main building and took a folder out of the backpack. In crayons she drew the flower arrangements for the wedding. Pink roses, yellow tulips, and purple hydrangeas along with white and red carnations for Mystic Maya's bouquet.
There would be a caterer, who would bring exotic foods like hamburgers and pizza to the temple grounds. Rare delicacies like French fries and tacos by the pound.
Then there would be a red carpet, like the TV show Mystic Maya had showed Pearl with the pretty ladies walking down and waving to crowds of people. White horse drawn carriages would arrive and Pearl would step out in a pretty little dress, tossing flowers into the aisles. Then Mystic Maya and Mister Nick would follow and walk proudly down the carpet.
It would be perfect! Mister Nick and Mystic Maya, no, Mister Nick and Misses Mystic Maya would live happily ever after and it would be all thanks to little Pearl who "could not find a good hiding spot."