I dangled my feet off of the wooden chair, reaching across the rays of sunlight that spilled over the table to grab a notebook by its edge and pull it towards me. The air smelled like paper. The book itself smelled like the cutting smell of ink, which played in the air as it drifted towards my nose in waves. The smell was almost too much. Just how much ink was on this thing? I thought.

The closed feeling of a comfortable library was suddenly invaded by an alien presence as I opened the notebook. There were so many drawings- so many detailed, astute drawings, with tiny words that filled all the space on every page, leaving no extra room. The handwriting was smooth and tilted towards the right, as if wishing for me to read them that way. But it was all so tiny, that I had to squint closely to make out any words at all.

But I had nothing to do, anyway. Daphne had gone next door to play with her toddler friend, and mommy had gone with her. Daddy was sleeping on the couch. In the quiet, heavy air of the setting sun, I had wandered into the library in hopes of finding a good book to leave my house in. I always liked pushing myself out into the life of another character. Instead, I'd come in to find the dying light of the sun stream in through the high windows to fall gently on a peculiar notebook that I hadn't seen before.

It was probably one of mommy's diaries. Mommy kept writing and drawing stuff in long notebooks, and she wouldn't show me anything on them. She usually hid them after she finished writing in them. Not today. I grinned down at the words on the page, knowing they spelled out secrets and fun, but not knowing how to read them.

I squinted at the small handwriting, and brought the notebook closer to my face, which intensified the smell of ink.

I gulped.

"July... seven." I read out loud. "I... left my house with Heny to take Sabrina for a picnic. The sun outside is shining brightly, and the clouds cover up the blue with their white masses. The day was only slightly chilly, so I made everyone wear sweaters. Henry told me to wear an extra one, since I'm pregnant, but I refused to. Covering up so much on such a beautiful day would be a shame. As I walk down the pathway of the park, quietly enjoying the smell of grass..."

What's this? A diary? It was so cool! I could see the picture that mom was painting, through her eyes. She'd drawn a picture of a little girl, looking up through the page. I could see her wide, shining eyes, and the bright and lively smile that lit up her features. She had a snug scarf wrapped so many times around her neck, that it was almost funny. She was wearing a puffy jacket and sneakers. Under the picture of the girl, there was something boxed with sharp corners. "SABRINA, TWO YEARS."

Me, when I was two years old! I stared closely at the picture. I could see somethings that looked like me. That small nose, and the eyes. Wow, I didn't know mom was so good at drawing.

Suddenly, I felt a lump in my throat. Why didn't mom show this to me before? Didn't she want to show me? It was about me! As I stared sullenly at the notebook, I knew. She knew I wouldn't understand the notebook, was that right? She thought I might mess it up by tearing it, or spilling something on it. I blew my cheeks out as I felt betrayal and loneliness envelop me. Well, fine. I wouldn't tell mommy my secrets, either.

In fact... The lump in my throat throbbed as I smiled down at the notebook. If mommy wasn't going to be nice, then I wouldn't, either.

I stared at the wooden boards above my head. In the dim light, I couldn't make out any of its outlines, but I knew it had painted stars on it. The darkness felt pressing, and my blanket felt uncomfortable. I turned around to lie on my side and face my bedroom door, where light streamed through the crack underneath.

The light brought apprehension, and I was sure the door would open. My blankets were too warm. I threw them off and inched towards the wall, seeking something colder than my burning skin. I let my arm touch its surface, but I quickly drew it away. The cold wall had been like a slab of ice, making goosebumps crawl up my arm where I had touched it. I was comfortable in bed, and I wasn't hurt anywhere, but it felt like the air was full of dull needles, waiting to turn sharp and attack me. I sat up, and my stomach rumbled. I felt hungry. But I didn't want to go outside my bedroom.

I turned over and covered my head up with a pillow, but I couldn't breathe, and I had to throw it off. The air was too warm. But the air was also too cold. I sat up again, then layed back down.

I must've fallen asleep, because I woke up to the sound of Daphne's snores on the top of her bunk bed. I yawned loudly, and turned around to go to sleep again. Bright sunlight burst in through my window, and I could heard the muted sound of birdsong outside. I yawned again, and snuggled deeper into my blankets.

"It's gone! I can't find it anywhere!"

What was mommy yelling so early in the morning? What could be... I sat up straight in bed, suddenly very awake.

I could hear my heart beating loudly as I slowly untangled the blankets from me and slid to the ground. I tiptoed over to my door, and creaked it open. I saw a flash fly by, and smelled the faint smell of dust and sunlight. I poked my head out to see mommy's back disappearing into her bedroom.

"Honey, calm down. Who could've taken just that one notebook? It wasn't even as important as last months'. That one had your negotiations with the Faeries in it," Dad's voice said soothingly. I hid into my room again.

Mommy sounded scared. And worried. Maybe the notebook had important stuff in it. With a heavy heart, I pulled my door back open and slipped outside. I'd put mommy's notebook back on her desk. Then everything would go back to normal... if I didn't get caught.

I ran down the hallway, my feet slapping against the cold wooden boards. The air seemed to attack me, piercing me with heart-numbing cold. I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. Warm droplets of water kept rolling down my cheeks. Mommy would be mad if she found out. I crouched near the refrigerator, and reached my hand in as far as it could go, and felt my fingers brush something. I used my nails to grab a hold of it, and tugged it towards me. I finally pulled it out from under the fridge, and found the neat notebook covered in grey balls of dust.

"Sabrina?"

The voice was like a blow to my stomach, and I flinched. I turned around to face mommy, hiding the notebook behind me. Mommy looked distracted, but that immediately stopped when she saw my face. She rushed towards me.

"Sabrina, what's wrong? Why are your crying?"

I shook my head and backed away from her, but my back hit the wall and I was forced to stop. Mommy crouched in front of me, looking worried as she supped my face with her hands. Her hands were so warm.

"What's wrong, Sabrina?"

Mommy's eyes were worried and open. Her face was tight with fear as she looked over me.

"I...I'm sorry, mommy." I sobbed, then I brought the notebook out from behind my back. "I... I didn't mean to hide it. It... It just. I was just thinking that mommy was keeping secrets, so I wanted to keep it a secret."

Mommy looked surprised and confused at the same time. She gently took the notebook from me, and threw it on the kitchen counter without taking her eyes off of me.

"Sabrina, dear, I'm not mad."

Liar! She was mad! I knew she was mad!

"I'm sorry, mommy."

"No, Sabrina, really." Mommy smiled. "See? I'm not mad."

"But I took your important notebook!"

She looked alarmed. "Sabrina, you didn't read it, did you?"

"I read a bit of it... I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Don't be angry, mommy." I shrunk back, expecting to see her glare at me. But Mommy lifted my chin to make me look at her eyes, and laughed.

"Why would I be mad? If anything, you're the one who should scold mommy. Oh, Sabrina, that was supposed to be your birthday present! It has stories about you in it!"