Once upon a time, in a village in Ireland, there was a girl named Aiofe. Aiofe was very kind, even though her friends were always making fun of her. The leader of that group was Ciara. 

    “Hey, Rag Girl, come here!” Ciara yelled. “I have a task for you!” 

    Aiofe reluctantly walked over, wondering what task she had THIS time. It was the third time today that Ciara wanted something from Aiofe. “I was just wondering, is that dress of mine finished yet? I will not tolerate laziness!” All the other girls started nodding their heads and starting whispering loudly, “Finish that dress! Finish that dress!” Ciara smiled.

    Aiofe ran inside, her red hair bouncing on her shoulders. Annoyed, she  

walked slowly up to her room. She flopped down on her soft, baby blue bed and closed her eyes. It was annoying how Ciara kept calling her names and making her do things for her. Why couldn’t she make her own dress or ask her mother to? Why does she want it so soon? The next festival is in 2 weeks, that’s enough time to finish.

    Suddenly, Aiofe heard a mysterious voice. “I’m sorry, Aiofe. I saw what happened,” it said. 

    “Who goes there?” Aiofe asked, looking 

around. She couldn't see anyone, which just made it scarier. Someone could pop up out of nowhere and try to kidnap her. Was she hearing things?

    “It’s me, Fluffy. Your teddy bear, remember? The one you talk to before you go to bed.” the mysterious voice said once again. 

    It took a few seconds for Aiofe to take this in. “So you’re saying that you are Fluffy, my teddy bear? How did you even come alive? Where even are you?”

    Fluffy came out from under the bed and explained to Aiofe that the Leprechaun visited her. The Leprechaun gave Fluffy her wish; to come alive in front of Aiofe when she needed help. 

    Aiofe hesitated. “If you saw the Leprechaun, could I ever go see him?” 

Before her question could be answered, Aiofe was called down for dinner.

Fluffy went back to her normal teddy bear state, and Aiofe sadly went  downstairs. She really wanted to see the Leprechaun.

    When Aiofe got downstairs for dinner (which was mandatory, meaning that you have to), she couldn't help herself. She started explaining to her family what

Ciara and her friends were forcing her to do, though she promised not to tell even a little bit. It felt good to get that bit out, even though she knew something bad was going to happen. 

    After she finished, her brother and mom just stared at her blankly while her father started talking loudly. “Aiofe! You should know to stick up for yourself! I thought I taught you that already!” Aiofe hung her head. She knew something was bound to happen. “After dinner, I want you to go to your room and think of how to stick up for 

yourself. You should be done thinking when I come up to check on you! If not, you can't go to the festival!”

    A while later, Aiofe was sitting on her bed, wondering why her dad was so mean to her when she saw a note on her desk. It read, “Look under the bed. There is a dress for the festival. The day of the festival, put your hair up. Try not to make eye contact with your parents, so they don’t recognize you.” (Aiofe ignored that.) “The day of the festival, follow the rainbow. That will lead you to the leprechaun, ready to grant your wish.” Aiofe read it over and over again, so distracted by it that she forgot to think of an idea for her dad. When she finally looked up from the note, her father was walking in the room. Aiofe quickly hid the note.

    “So, the plan?” Aiofe’s dad asked.

    “Uhh.. I- I don’t have one,” Aiofe answered, a nervous look on her face.    

    Before she could explain, her dad interrupted her. “Well, you know what happens!” Aiofe’s dad said loudly. “No festival! I’m just doing this because 

should have told us sooner, and you shouldn't let them take control of you!” He closed the door. 

    Aiofe sat on her bed, upset, until she remembered the note. She smiled, 

 knowing that she could still sneak out. 

    On Saint Patrick’s day, Aiofe gave Ciara her finished dress. She pretended to be sad while helping her family get ready for the festival. “Have a great time!” Aiofe said, waving her parents goodbye. She closed the door and

walked up to her room and took the dress out from underneath the bed.             Aiofe tried it on; it was a pink dress, with white lining all around it. When Aiofe spun, it poofed out, like in the movies she watched. Aiofe then put her hair up and smiled in the mirror. 

    A while later, Aiofe decided it was the right time. She took a deep breath and walked out the door. She looked in the sky; Fluffy was right, there was a rainbow. A small one, so Aiofe decided that it wouldn't be a long walk.