Jenny stood before the tall mirror and pointed a finger at her reflection. "This is me!" she announced boldly. "My name's Jenny." Her breath fogged the glass in a warm little cloud. She grinned at the wobbly letters forming on the shiny surface.
She pressed her nose closer to the fogged glass and giggled. The fogged patch shimmered in the lamplight like a secret message just for her. She tapped the glass gently with her fingertip, leaving a tiny clear scratch in the mist. "Hi, Jenny," she whispered to her reflection.
Next, Jenny marched to the hallway closet and shoved aside a pile of grown-up clothes. Everything was too big — a long cardigan, a wide belt, and a pair of shoes that looked like boats. Then she spotted it: a sparkly dress that dragged all the way to the floor.
She tried to step into the dress, but it slipped over her head like a giant tent. Everything went dark and swishy. She stumbled forward, arms windmilling, tripping over the hem. A soft giggle escaped — it sounded exactly like hers.
She tugged the dress free and wore it like a ridiculous skirt, the hem pooling around her ankles like a puddle of pink stars. She stomped her feet. Squelch. Squelch. The dress bunched and slid. She couldn't stop the laughter bubbling out of her.
Jenny grabbed a large sun hat from a hook and tipped it low over her eyes. She squinted beneath the brim like a mysterious explorer. She planted her boots, puffed out her chest, and pretended to scout the entire hallway. Very serious. Very spy-like.
She stomped in a circle, declaring herself Captain Jenny of the Hallway. But the hat flipped backward with a whoosh, and her wild hair sprang free in every direction. She froze. Her hand flew to her cheek. Something crinkled.
She leaned toward the hallway mirror and gasped. Her cheek was plastered with shimmering glitter — silver and pink dots stuck to her skin like constellation marks. She had knocked over her craft box earlier and never noticed. A grin broke across her face.
Jenny stood back in front of the tall mirror again. The sparkly dress still tangled around her ankles. The glittery sun hat sat crooked on her head. She looked absolutely ridiculous. And absolutely perfect.
She took a deep breath and let out the loudest cheer she could manage. "This is me!" she declared to the whole room. Then she spun around so fast the dress flared out like a blooming flower, glitter catching the light with every turn.
She twirled and twirled until her feet couldn't keep up. Then she collapsed onto her rug, breathless, laughing at the ceiling. Her chest heaved. Her toes wiggled. The world tilted gently, soft and round and wonderful.
The room grew quiet and warm, smelling of lavender from the sachet on her dresser. Jenny's breathing slowed. She rolled her eyes toward the mirror one last time. Her reflection blinked slowly — almost winking. She smiled and closed her eyes.