It wasn’t long before Rachel brushed the thought aside. Her head was already full of college demands, and the only way to quiet the noise of the real world was to sketch.

The next morning, after a long night struggling to get a fabric pattern just right, Rachel was still fast asleep.

“Rachel, wake up.”

A soft, unfamiliar voice called to her.

Shannon? she thought groggily. No… Shannon’s voice isn’t this gentle.

“You’re going to be late, Rachel,” the voice urged again.

Rachel blinked her eyes open. Standing beside her bed was a girl with colorful, curly hair and impossibly bright blue eyes. The face looked… familiar.

A moment later, recognition struck. Rachel gasped and jumped so suddenly she nearly fell out of bed.

The girl was the sketch she had drawn the night before.

Rachel’s mind spun with questions. How could a drawing come to life?

The girl, cheerful and calm, explained that Rachel must have some kind of magic — something that had brought her to life. Rachel tried to recall the previous day… and remembered.

The pen.

That strange pen with the large crystal and beautiful, intricate carvings.

To test it, Rachel grabbed her bag, pulled out the pen, and quickly sketched something small. Seconds later, it stirred and came to life before her eyes.

Both of them stared in astonishment.

Then the reality sank in — the trouble she’d be in if her family found out. Her family was strict, traditional. To them, success meant a stable, well-paying job and following rigid gender roles Rachel didn’t believe in. Magic wasn’t just impossible to them — it was dangerous.

The girl broke the silence with an innocent question.

“Can we go out today?”

Rachel hesitated, torn between caution and curiosity. She couldn’t bring herself to say no.

“Do you… have a name?” Rachel asked.

The girl tilted her head thoughtfully. “You could name me.”

Rachel sighed. Great. I created her without naming her. Again.

“How about… Vivare?” she offered.

The girl’s lips curved into a bright smile. “I like it.”