We had just started a long weekend. Like always, Mummy and Daddy tried to make the most of our time together to do something interesting and exciting. This long weekend was no exception. Mummy and Daddy had received an invitation from some old friends named Adelaide and Elliot. My sister, Verity, and I had never met them before, so the visit was a total surprise.

Adelaide and Elliot lived in a large city, eight hours away from our quiet home in Buckleberry. They were cobblers who owned their very own shoe shop. The shop sat on a busy city street and stayed open six days a week. Adelaide and Elliot lived in a cozy apartment right above it. They had one daughter named Astara, who was slightly older than us. Verity and I were thrilled that we would make a new friend, even if she was a big kid.

We set off from Buckleberry very early in the morning. It was a long, winding drive to get to the city of Cotton. Along the way, Daddy explained that the city was named after the historic cotton mills built there many years ago. Today, the city was actually more famous for its intricate lace made from cotton than the fabric itself. It was obvious we were going to learn many new things on our mini-break.

Even though Daddy said the drive would take eight hours, the trip seemed to take forever. We crawled through heavy traffic and zipped past small villages, busy towns, large cities, and wide-open farmland. Mummy kept asking Daddy to make pit stops so we could jump out of the car, stretch our legs, and shake out our wiggles.

Daddy always picked the best road stops. They had delicious food, cold drinks, clean toilets, and a small play area where travellers could stretch and swap stories. Verity and I loved sitting at the dining tables, watching the bustling crowds. It felt wonderful to be surrounded by people who loved to explore. We played a game where we tried to guess who they were and where they were going. It made the time fly by.

We finally arrived in Cotton very late in the evening. The moment we entered the city, we were hit by a wave of exciting noises: honking cars, wailing police sirens, changing traffic lights, and bright neon signs flickering on and off. The sights and sounds were completely different from quiet Buckleberry. Daddy told us to keep a sharp eye out for a sign that said Adelliot. Adelaide and Elliot had combined their names to create the perfect name for their shop. Suddenly, we saw it: a bright blue, flashing neon sign.

As we pulled up outside, Adelaide, Elliot, and Astara were already waiting on the pavement. Elliot waved and motioned for Daddy to stay in the car. The busy city streets of Cotton were packed, so Elliot had to guide Daddy to a secret parking spot. The rest of us piled out onto the footpath. Standing on the busy street with Mummy and our bags, Adelaide gave us a massive hello and a warm, wrap-around hug. Astara smiled and gave us a friendly wave.

When Daddy and Elliot returned with our bags, they ushered us inside. The moment we stepped into the shop, Verity and I instantly grinned. The air smelled wonderfully of rich leather, vulcanized rubber, sweet industrial glue, fresh cardboard, and honeyed beeswax. Towers of shoe boxes stacked up toward the ceiling like skyscrapers. In the centre of the room stood a large round table showcasing a gorgeous display of shoes. We had never seen so many shoe boxes in our entire lives! Astara saw our wide eyes and gave us a knowing smile.

We climbed a winding staircase to reach the apartment. It was surprisingly big, stretching out wide above the shop floor. We walked up a second set of stairs to reach the bedrooms. Astara proudly gave us a tour of the room Verity and I would be sharing. She was incredibly nice and talked a mile a minute. Verity whispered to me that she must talk fast because she was a city girl.

Before long, Adelaide called us into the dining room. She had prepared a spectacular urban supper for us. We dined on steaming plates of savoury Pad Thai and beautifully rolled Sushi. The adults shared wine and beer, while Astara, Verity, and I drank sweet, fruity cordial. We sat around the cosy table, eating, laughing, and chatting away. The moment we finished our food; the adults excused us from the table.

Astara’s eyes lit up. She invited us to follow her back downstairs into the dark, quiet shoe shop. She whispered that she was allowed to play down here as long as she didn't leave a mess and put every single box back exactly where it belonged. Verity and I looked at each other, puzzled. Suddenly, Astara began to dance and prance around the room, full of energy. We sat down on a pair of fitting chairs, waiting to see what she would do next.

"What size shoes do you wear?" Astara asked, puffing out her chest.

"Small!" Verity shouted immediately.

Astara looked down at Verity’s tiny feet and giggled. "Oh well, it doesn’t matter anyway!"

Verity and I traded another confused glance. Astara began sliding boxes from the shelves, pulling out shoes. She told us to kick off our own shoes and prepare ourselves. Leaning in close, Astara whispered, "I am going to share a deep, dark secret with you. But you must promise never, ever to tell a living soul." Verity and I nodded, our faces turning instantly serious.

Astara leaned in even closer. "When you put on these shoes, you become the exact person who is meant to wear them."

We stared at her in total disbelief. "I'll prove it," Astara smirked.

She marched over to a hidden, dusty corner of the shop and pulled out a pair of pink satin ballet slippers. She slipped her feet into the shoes, which looked far too large for her. But within seconds, something magical happened. Astara’s back snapped straight. Her arms floated up gracefully into the air. She leapt into the sky, spinning and pirouetting across the floor like a world-class prima ballerina! Verity and I gasped, our jaws dropping.

The moment Astara slipped the slippers off, she instantly slumped back into her normal, bubbly self. "That is incredible!" I gasped.

"Me next! Me next!" Verity cheered. Verity has always been the brave and adventurous one.

Astara handed her a pair of sky-high, shiny black stiletto heels. Verity carefully placed them on her feet and tried to take a step. At first, she wobbled dangerously. The heels were giant and way too big for her. But then, the magic took over. Verity’s chin lifted high. She put her hands on her hips and began to strut across the shop floor with absolute confidence, crossing her legs perfectly like a supermodel on a glamorous Paris catwalk. It was amazing to watch! Astara quickly took her hand and guided her back to the chair to take the high heels off. The moment they were off, Verity blinked, looking dizzy, as if she had no idea what had just happened.