I return from school by bus, and I’m pretty exhausted when I get back. I got a lot of attention on the bus, cos I reshaped my green face to look like Vroni (except for being green) and stuck on a pair of black eyebrows and a black wig from the box of props Ulnula gave me. I admit I was curious about how people would see me if I looked striking, but I’m not really sure if I can get used to all the attention. I don’t wanna stand out. I take off the wig and eyebrows and squash my green face so that my features go back to their original shape. Props to Vroni. I think she handles the attention very gracefully.

I collapse onto my padded chair and check my computer for any replies for my baby-sitting offer. I need as much extra money as possible so I can help Mum. She’s always working, just to make ends meet.

I’ve got a reply!

Hello Carly,

I’m a working mother and I need someone to be there for my daughter. You sound like a responsibly young lady. Please reply, if you’re interested.

My warmest regards to you.

Lilyanya

I email the mother whose name is Lilyanya telling her when I will be available to baby-sit her daughter. I also share my address.

She messages me back instantly, saying that she would like to drop off her daughter, little Elmaya, right away because she has urgent business to attend to. Well there’s no reason I can’t accommodate that.

I look in the mirror. My hoodie’s fine… I smile. My green face smiles back at me. Amazing how the lips of the mask move so easily in sync with my own mouth. I think I liked having black eyebrows and eyelashes. Eyebrows and lashes you can actually see. I get the false eyebrows out of the box of theatrical stuff and put them on my face and then stick the false eyelashes on too. That’s better.

Soon there’s a ding-dong at the door. That was quick. I hurry downstairs and open the door. In front of me stands an extremely sophisticated and beautiful lady, with with long, wavy brown hair, a freckled nose and cheeks, deep blue eyes and glossy light red lips.

“A good evening to you,” she says. “Carly?”

Her accent sounds like she’s from Coltbridge.

I smile at her. “That’s me.”

I lower my gaze and see little Elmaya hiding behind her mother’s leg. She’s so cute! She’s a sweet little girl with dimples, and she’s wearing a fairy costume. Her little mouth is a puckered rosebud and concern marks her little baby face.

“I love your dress,” I tell her.

She releases her mother’s leg and looks up at me with wide baby blue eyes. “Really?”

“Oh yes! I can give you some fairy wings to match.”

“Are you a witch? Is that why you’ve gotta green face?”

“Now, now, Elmaya,” admonishes Lilyanya. “Don’t be silly.”

“I can be a good witch, if you like,” I say, grinning down at Elmaya. “My magic trick will be getting you some fairy wings.”

The little girl looks up at her mum and then back at me and then bounces on her heels, her baby blue eyes shining. “I wanna see you do magic.”

“Elmaya, this is Carly,” says Lilyanya. “She’s going to look after you until Mummy returns.”

Elmaya glances up at me. “Mummy, you can go now. I’ll be good.”

Lilyanya smiles at me. “I’ll be back in three hours.”

I nod and smile back. “See you then.”

The pretty lady strides back to her car and opens the door with a smooth click and slips in before reversing. The wheels glide over the tarmac as smooth as silk and soon the car is just a speck in the distance.

“So, Elmaya.” I lean down and scoop her up in my arms and then walk back into the house. “Let’s get your wings fitted.”

I have some old fairy wings that were part of a costume I wore when I was very little. They make a fine addition to Elmaya’s fairy dress. The little girl squeals in delight at the sight of herself in the full length mirror and she shows off her fluttery fairy energy by skipping around the room.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Now how about a story?” I suggest.

I read her the ladybird version of Pinocchio. It’s like the Disney version in that it’s made all cute and nice for the kids – not like the original text that was written in Italian.

I reach the part where Pinocchio tells lies and his nose grows.

“Oh no!” I gasp. “Telling lies is wrong. Pinocchio’s nose will grow. Like this!”

I pull on my own nose and it extends three foot long, like a bright green elephant’s trunk.

Elmaya squeals with laughter. “Your nose is growin’!”

I press my huge green nose so that it returns to its usual size. “I wanted a longer nose, but not that long. So Elmaya, you know what happens to Pinocchio when he tells lies…" I pull my nose so that it stretches out into a three foot long green trunk again. I stand up. “Look at this Elmaya, it’s gonna be hard to open doors.” I make a show of being unable to reach the door because of my nose getting in the way.

Elmaya’s shaking with laughter so that her new fairy wings are dipping. “Look at your nose!”

How else can I amuse her?

“Who d’you want me to look like Elmaya?”

“Look like Mummy!”

I can do that. I reshape my face to resemble Lilyanya’s fine features and rummage in the box of theatrical stuff and retrieve some hair pins and a dark brown wig. I pin down my own hair and put the brown wig on. I do look like Lilyanya now, except my face is bright green and I don’t have her pretty freckles. I actually find myself wishing I had my own freckles again…

“Elmaya, I hope you’re being good,” I say, in my best imitation of a Coltbridge accent.

“’Tis Mummy with a green face,” giggles Elmaya, pointing at me.

“Green faced Mummy will make you tea,” I tell her.

We only seem to have beans on toast, so I make her that, after I remove the Lilyanya disguise. I sit across from the table while Elmaya eats so I can amuse her some more. I pinch at my clay-like dark green lips so they swell really huge. “Mmf. Look, Elmaya, could I eat with lips like this?” My voice is muffled.

“I like you Carly,” she says. “You can call me Maya.”

That’s so sweet, my heart aches with happiness and I would grin were it not for the face that my lips are so huge.

I have an idea. “Mmf. Maya, please wait there.”

I run to my room and retrieve a tiny little pink bracelet that I found when sorting through my old junk when Mum and I were considering having our own car boot sale. The bracelet won’t fit me now, but it would fit little Maya. I pause to press my lips down to their normal size and then I run to Maya again. At that moment the bell rings and Maya immediately rushes to the door. I run after her and catch her up.

“Don’t open the door, Maya. Leave that to me.”

I open the door and then freeze.

Who is standing there? It’s Gabrith from Coltbridge. I am so surprised I gawp at him, struck once more by his perfect, sculpted face, his strong jawline with just a hint of shadow, his wavy brown hair that I could run my fingers through, his deep blue eyes, his freckled nose and cheeks…

I’m gazing into his deep blue eyes and I see his surprise.

“Little Red Hood? Do my eyes deceive me, or do I see Little Red Hood, now looking very green?”

His voice is deep and mellifluous.

I find myself stammering. “I – I – Gabrith, what…?”

Maya’s gazing up at him with rapt adoration. “My big, big bwother! I like Carly a lot. She’s sweet ‘n funny ‘n she gave me fairy wings.”

“I wondered what the wings were for,” says Gabrith. “A good thought – Carly. And good to know your name now – which you didn’t share when you bumped into me by the lockers. I like the green face by the way. That’s new. Part of an ingenious disguise no doubt.”

“You got that right,” I reply. I find that as I look up, we’re gazing into each other’s eyes again. I fidget and turn my gaze to little Maya. “Maya… this is for you.” I hold up the tiny pink bracelet. “It used to be mine, a long time ago.”

Maya’s big blue eyes are glued to the bracelet. I take that as a good sign so I lean forward to slip it on her wrist. I feel Gabrith’s gaze on me. I bet I would be blushing if my face were covered with a green mask. Maya immediately fiddles with and gawks at her new trinket.

Maya pouts at her brother. “I wanna stay.”

“Listen, Gabrith… I promised your mum that I would wait until she came to collect Maya. It’s my duty to check that she’s alright with you picking her up instead. Do please come in.”

“As you like. Let’s go in, Maya.”

Maya crawls into Gabrith’s arms and he heaves her onto his shoulders. He holds on to her ankles and she puts her little hands into his wavy hair.

He leads the way to the living room. I trail behind, my hands reaching out instinctively to make sure Maya doesn’t fall. The Coltbridge siblings sit on the couch, Maya on her brother’s lap. I fetch Gabrith a coke and Maya a glass of milk on a tray while Gabrith phones his mum. I stand before them as they sit on the couch until Lilyanya shows up on videocall and confirms that Gabrith can indeed collect Maya. I’ll be seeing him regularly then, while I’m the go-to babysitter for his little sister. Do I feel a little thrill at the thought, or is it butterflies in my stomach?

“Good to clear things up,” I say. “It was lovely to have you hear, Maya.”

“I wanna stay, Gabe,” says Maya, this time with a hard pout that may be meant to look intimidating, but isn’t.

“You’ll be back soon enough,” says Gabe.

“And good to bump into you again, Gabrith.”

“Call me Gabe.”

We stare into each other’s eyes. I find myself mesmerised by his deep-blue gaze, so much so that my breath catches in my throat. My jaw slackens, but he just looks amused. What is it? Does he find my green face so funny?

“I look forward to seeing you again soon,” says Gabe. “Come, sister.” He gathers Maya up into his arms. She waves as he carries her off and yells a cheery, “’Bye Carly.”

Managing a smile, I wave back slowly.

Deep down? My mind is racing. Are Gabe and I on first name terms now?

Up in my bedroom I look at my green face in the mirror. A remarkable invention, this mask. It’s lots of fun, but I’ve done enough clay faced hijinks for today. I reach to take the green mask off. I pinch my green nose and it squeezes together like a piece of play dough. Now it looks very squashed. I hastily knead it with my fingers so that it gets back to its normal shape. Then I grip my cheeks, but just leave finger prints in them. I smooth out my cheeks and look hard at my reflection. The mask covers my whole face, but my neck is still pale skinned. I feel for a crack or seam where the mask ends and the pale expanse of my throat begins, but the green mask welded to my skin and I can’t get my fingers under it. How do I take it off?