Bumbling Bea was a mysterious doll who loved to explore spooky places in the world. She had yellow hair, a black dress, black and yellow striped tights and black boots.
One day, she decided to visit the haunted house at the end of the street. She had heard many scary stories about it, but she was not afraid. She wanted to see if there were any ghosts or monsters inside.
She walked up to the door and knocked three times. No one answered, so she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The house was dark and dusty, with cobwebs and broken furniture everywhere. Bumbling Bea smiled and said, “This is perfect!”
She wandered around the house, looking for anything interesting. She found a creepy painting of a clown, a rusty suit of armor, a cracked mirror and a dusty piano. She played a few notes on the piano, but it sounded out of tune and made her ears hurt.
She decided to go upstairs and see what was there. She climbed the creaky stairs and reached the second floor. There were three doors in front of her. She chose the one on the left and opened it.
She entered a bedroom that looked like it belonged to a little girl. There was a pink bed with frilly pillows, a dresser with dolls and stuffed animals, and a closet full of dresses and bows. Bumbling Bea frowned and said, “This is too girly for me!”
She was about to leave when she noticed something on the bed. It was another doll, but it looked very different from her. It had blonde hair, a pink dress, white tights and pink shoes. It also had a smiley face and big blue eyes.
Bumbling Bea felt curious and picked up the doll. She looked at it closely and said, “Who are you? You don’t look like you belong here.”
The doll blinked and said, “Hi! I’m Bella! I’m so happy to meet you! What’s your name?”
Bumbling Bea gasped and dropped the doll. She said, “You can talk? How is that possible?” Bella giggled and said, “Of course I can talk! All dolls can talk! We just don’t do it when humans are around. We have to keep it a secret.”
Bumbling Bea was amazed and said, “Wow! I didn’t know that! I’m Bumbling Bea, by the way.”
Bella smiled and said, “Nice to meet you, Bumbling Bea! You’re very pretty! I love your hair and your dress!”
Bumbling Bea blushed and said, “Thank you! You’re very kind! But I don’t think we have much in common. You’re so cheerful and bright, and I’m so gloomy and dark.”
Bella said, “That’s okay! We can still be friends! Opposites attract, you know!”
Bumbling Bea thought for a moment and said, “Well… maybe you’re right. Maybe we can be friends.”
Bella clapped her hands and said, “Yay! I’m so happy! Come on, let’s play together!”
She grabbed Bumbling Bea’s hand and dragged her to the closet. She opened it and showed her all her dresses and bows.
She said, “Look at all these pretty things! Don’t you want to try them on?”
Bumbling Bea shook her head and said, “No, thank you. They’re not my style.”
Bella said, “Please? Just for fun? It won’t hurt to try something new!”
Bumbling Bea sighed and said, “Okay… fine. But only one outfit.”
Bella cheered and picked out a dress for Bumbling Bea. It was pink with white polka dots and had a big bow on the back.
She said, “Here you go! This will look great on you!”
She helped Bumbling Bea put on the dress and then gave her a matching bow for her hair.
She said, “There! You look adorable!”
She handed Bumbling Bea a mirror so she could see herself.
Bumbling Bea looked at herself in the mirror and felt weird. She didn’t recognize herself. She looked like a different doll.
She said, “I look… silly.”
Bella said, “No, you don’t! You look beautiful!”
Bumbling Bea said, “But this is not me. This is not who I am.”
Bella said, “But don’t you like it? Don’t you want to be happy?”
Bumbling Bea said, “I am happy. In my own way.”
Bella said, “But you could be happier. If you changed a little bit. If you smiled more. If you liked pink.”
Bumbling Bea said, “But I don’t want to change. I like who I am. I like black. I like being mysterious.”
Bella said, “But why? Why do you like being goth? It’s so sad and boring.”
Bumbling Bea said, “It’s not sad and boring. It’s cool and interesting. It’s fun to explore spooky things in the world. It’s fun to be different.”
Bella said, “But you don’t have to be different. You can be like everyone else. You can be normal.”
Bumbling Bea said, “But I don’t want to be normal. I want to be myself.”
Bella said, “But yourself is not good enough. You need to improve yourself. You need to be better.”
Bumbling Bea said, “No, I don’t. I’m fine the way I am.”
Bella said, “No, you’re not. You’re wrong. You’re bad. You’re ugly.”
Bumbling Bea said, “Stop it! Stop saying that!”
Bella said, “No, I won’t stop. I’ll keep saying it until you change. Until you become like me.”
Bumbling Bea said, “No! Leave me alone!”
She pushed Bella away and ran out of the room.
She ran down the stairs and headed for the door.
She wanted to get out of the house and away from Bubbly Bella.
She didn’t want to be friends with her anymore.
She didn’t want to be like her.
She wanted to be herself.
Bumbling Bea reached the door and opened it.
She ran outside and breathed a sigh of relief.
She was free.
She looked around and saw that it was getting dark.
She decided to go back home.
She walked down the street, feeling happy and proud.
She was happy to be Bumbling Bea.