“It’ll be okay,” she said. “We’ll get food. It’s okay, we’ll be okay.” She was speaking to the boy and the girl, he knew. It was killing him not to call out to her, to ask her name. But his question was quickly answered.

            “Zella,” a small voice said. “Why is she so mean?”

            Zella… Axel smiled to himself. Short for Azela? Or even Azalea? He made a mental note, but silenced his thoughts when Zella spoke again.

            “I don’t know.” Zella said. “Maybe something had happened to her once. But for right now, we should just forget her. Do you two want to help me unpack my stuff, and then we’ll do your room?”

            The two agreed in unison. Axel heard boxes being moved on the floor. Slowly, he moved behind the two-way mirror that served as a sliding wall. He was right to do, for Zella had opened the closet just seconds later, surveying its size. Her eyes, Axel saw, were red and teary, but she gave a weak smile when she looked in the mirror. Axel wanted to reach out to her, but his self-restraint proved to be solid once again. Zella returned to the center of the room and opened up a box. She pulled out picture frames, books, and an assortment of paintings and the two children opened up another box.

            They took only a half an hour to make the room more comfortable than before. Axel frowned only when he noticed the lack of a bed in the room, as well as a dresser and desk. It was simply not right for a teenage girl to survive in a room without furniture.

            Zella and the twins left to decorate the other room. Axel slipped out of the closet, which was now completely full, to look at the room. All of Zella’s wall paintings were original paintings, which he admired. Her empty picture frames and books sat in a pile on the floor. Axel picked up one of the books, a journal, and opened it up. He read a random journal entry.

“Wednesday, December 25th-

 10:30 p.m.

       It’s so good to have Mom home. Erik asked if she bought us any presents. I told him that just having her home was a present enough. Dad was so happy to see her. I can’t imagine what we would do without her.”

            Axel frowned. Barbie couldn’t be Zella’s mother. It had to be a step-mom or something. So what happened to her real mom? He flipped through the journal, searching for answers, and stopped at another entry.

“Tuesday, January 17Th-

 3:30 p.m.

       Mom’s plane crashed.

       She’s M.I.A.

       I’ve been crying all day with Erik and Rosie.

       Dad hasn’t come out of his room since the phone call.

            Axel grimaced. My poor Zella, he thought.

            Sudden footsteps made Axel jump. He sprang to the closet, still holding the journal, and hid behind the mirror just in time to see Zella walk in, the twins close behind her.

            “…do we have to, Zelly?” Rose whined.

            “I don’t like new people,” Erik moaned.

            “C’mon guys,” Zella said, grabbing her black leather jacket from the closet. “We’re going to meet our new neighbors. That’s final.”