Hidden String

Prologue

Zioh

I got a friend a few months ago. It was the best, happiest gift I had ever received! Because when I was five years old, I suddenly had two friends.

The first one was named Xa—oh, no, not that—Tsabinu. But he said people often called him Bibu. He liked reading, studying, and counting, just like me! Yesterday, we counted frogs together at the lake, and there were so many!

He was amazing at riding a bike and could even talk to animals! With his little golden dog, Yellow, he could make it sit, give paw, or even pretend to die. It was so cool! I had never been able to do that.

My new best friend was a ‘Golden’ himself!

Just like Mas Zaaem had said, a Golden Boy was someone great and smart, just like Kevin McCallister.

And then there was the second one—his twin sister! Princess Sophia!

She was all pink ribbons and soft, chubby cheeks. I was really shocked when I found out Sophie wasn’t a real princess. Even until now, I still feel like she was lying about that.

After I met her, my days became so much happier!

She was sweet, pretty, and very cheerful.

It was like she had a special power to turn everything into something fun.

So I was sure she was a princess! And the best thing about her was that ever since she came, I started buying more crayons and coloured pencils.

Today, our school held a Christmas performance, and each class took a turn. Sophie’s class and mine were on the first day. My little brother Zeraiah’s class was on the second day. And now, on the last day, it was Golden’s class.

Bibu was going to play the piano today—and yes, he could even play the piano.

“Come on! We have to go to the hall! They’re going to look for us!” I kept trying to pull Sophie and my little brother away from the swings where they had been playing for hours.

“I’m the highest!” Sophie insisted.

“No, I am!” Zeraiah shot back, refusing to lose. “I swung all the way to that tree branch,” he said, pointing to a branch beside us. “And you didn’t even reach it.”

Sophie kicked her legs on the swing, trying to go higher. “I could go all the way to the top of the tree if I wanted to.”

Not wanting to lose, Zeraiah kicked his legs too, pushing himself farther. “You’re lying, Biba. You can’t.”

“I can!”

“No!”

“I can!”

“Come on! Let’s go! They’re going to be mad at us if we’re late!” Tugging harder at their arms, I tried to lead them away while they continued to bicker.

“Zioh!” they called at the same time.

“Huh? What?”

“Who’s taller?!” they both demanded.

Finally, we reached the hall and sat beside Dad, the twins’ parents, Uncle Prabu, and Mama Sophia.

Mum had gone to the restroom, and Mama Sophia was getting her camera ready to record Golden’s performance.

It was only a few minutes before it started, and Sophie and Zeraiah still hadn’t stopped.

I didn’t know why, but they always fought—anywhere and anytime—and then they would laugh together afterwards.

“Why do you even like that?” Sophie whispered to Zeraiah beside me.

“What about you? Why do you like it?”

“Everyone likes pop songs.”

“I don’t.”

“Why do you like rock songs?”

“Because they’re cool.”

“Pop is cooler.”

“Rock is cooler.”

“No! Pop is—”

I turned to Mama Sophia and tugged at the edge of her sleeve. “Sophie’s Mama,” I whispered, “please, they’re starting again.”

Mama Sophia smiled at me, then looked at Sophie and Zeraiah. “Hey,” she called as she bent closer to them, which made them turn toward her. “That’s enough. Your brother will be performing soon.”

And magically, they really did stop. They sat straight, their legs swaying back and forth, looking at the stage.

I turned back to Mama Sophia. “Thank you, Sophie’s Mama.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

I called her Sophie’s Mama because she was amazing for giving birth to Princess Sophia and Golden, my very cool best friends.

And Sophie’s Mama was so beautiful, just like Sophie.

I’d even ask her if she was actually Sophie’s twin instead of Golden, because they looked exactly alike.

But every time I asked, she would only laugh and stroke my hair.

I turned to the side and saw Sophie fiddling with Bibu’s Rubik’s Cube. Smiling at her, I whispered, “Do you know how to solve it?”

Sophie looked at me with her big eyes and shook her head. “No.”

“I can teach you,” I offered.

Her smile grew round and bright. “Really? You know how?”

I straightened my shoulders before giving her a firm nod—especially when she looked at me with sparkling admiration in her eyes. “Of course. I can teach you if you want.”

“I want to!”

We smiled at each other, but then she narrowed her eyes. “By the way, why do you call me Sophie?”

“When I called you Princess Sophia, you said you weren’t a princess.”

“Because I’m not. That’s just my name.”

“And then you said everyone calls you Tshabina or Biba.”

She nodded, still staring at me with her big, round eyes. “Uh-huh.”

“When I asked if anyone called you Sophia, you said no.”

“Yes, no one does.”

“So I call you Sophie.”

“Why?”

“So I can be the first.”

“But you scolded Zeraiah when he called me that.”

“Because that’s only for me.”

“Only for you?”

I tried not to smile, but my face wanted to wiggle! Then I tilted my head to look at her. “I made it. I gave it to you. And I’m the only one who gets to use it for you.”

Puffing out one cheek, Sophie kept staring at me, and it made my cheeks feel all warm and tingly—but I didn’t back down. This was mine. Ours.

“Sophie is only for me… to use only for you.”

We fell quiet as she kept looking at me. Then I softened my tone at the last second, “Only for us.”

She stared at me for a long moment. Then suddenly she smiled, her dimples showing. Wow… so pretty. Just like a carnation in bloom. “Okay!” She clasped her hands together. “Then I’ll scold anyone who calls me Sophie.”

Couldn’t hold back my happiness, I smiled too and raised my pinky finger. “Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise!” Her eyes lit up, then she leaned a little closer and whispered, “Only for you.”

I grinned, full of joy, looking at her beside me—and then we both laughed.

Pink, yellow!