“I know where all the missing socks go.” A voice called, almost teasingly, from seemingly nowhere. I gasped and glanced around my room but I couldn’t find who was speaking. 

I was just picking out socks and when I couldn’t find a complete pair, I muttered to myself, “Where do all my missing socks go?” 

I hadn't expected a reply because I thought I was home alone so the mysterious voice startled me. 

"Who said that?" I asked nervously. I had no idea what the voice's response would be. 

I heard a giggle and the voice replied “The sock fairy!” I had never heard of a sock fairy before but before I could question them, I saw a small ball of orange light fly out of my sock drawer. I gasped and watched as it carried one of my favorite socks out my open window. 

“No, wait! I’ll never be able to match the other sock again!” I called out but it was already too late, the sock fairy was gone. I flopped down on my bed and sighed. I had really wanted to wear my favorite socks today, but now that the sock fairy had stolen one I couldn’t.

 I muttered to myself, “Now what am I supposed to do?” 

Again, I wasn’t expecting a reply but another voice called, “You have to track down that thieving fairy and take back your socks.” 

“Who are you?” I asked, making a mental note to stop talking to myself, so weird voices would stop answering me.

“I’m your sock fairy godmother. Here to help you defeat the sock fairy and free all the stolen socks.” She said as another ball of light flew out of my sock drawer, but she was yellow instead of orange like the sock fairy. 

“How'd you even get in here?”  I used to think fairies were just creatures made up by crazy people, but now that I had seen two with my own eyes I wasn’t sure what I believed. Maybe I  am a crazy person now.

“I’ve been following that sock fairy to try to stop her from stealing socks but I haven’t been able to get to her in time. Her latest theft was here. Did you see where she flew off to?”

“She went out that window.” I answered as I pointed at the open window. 

“We have to start traveling that way then. I’ll be able to track her pixie dust trail even though it’s invisible to humans like you.” My sock fairy godmother said as she started flying toward the window. 

“Wait,” I called out, “I never agreed to go anywhere. I already have plans for today, so you’re just going to have to save the socks by yourself.”

My sock fairy godmother let out a gasp and I could hear the shock in her voice when she said, “But, I’m supposed to help you. I’m not supposed to do anything without you now that I’m your sock fairy godmother. Everyone else who had me as their sock fairy godmother have always had me help them.”

I was supposed to meet up with my friend, Jane, in ten minutes so I had to get this over with quickly. I really didn’t see why my sock fairy godmother couldn’t do this by herself so I told her, “Well, maybe it’s time for a change. You seem perfectly capable of stopping the sock fairy by yourself. In fact, I didn’t even know fairies were real until today so you’re probably more capable than me.”

“Well I..” My sock fairy godmother trailed off and it’s obvious no one else has ever not wanted to go on a journey with her.

“I believe in you. Just follow the pixie dust trail like you said, then save the socks. You’ll be a hero.” I said, trying to convince her so she would leave me alone.

“Well, if you really want me to, I guess I could do it by myself.” She said, still sounding uncertain. 

“I really want you to.” I said with a fake smile. She was starting to annoy me with how long she was taking to leave. 

“Ok, I’ll be on my way then.” She said as she started flying toward the window again. 

“Good luck.” I called even though I couldn’t care less about how it went. I sighed and decided to just never think about this again, it was way too confusing. 

I grabbed the one sock left from my favorite pair and pulled it on my foot. I love wearing my hot pink and black zebra striped socks but now I would just have to make do with only one. Then, I grabbed another sock from my drawer at random and pulled on the yellow and blue polka dot sock I happened to grab. They were anything but matching but I was running late for meeting Jane so I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my bag as I headed out to the diner I was supposed to meet Jane. 

When I got to the diner five minutes later than I was supposed to be, I saw Jane and greeted her with “Hey, sorry I’m late.”

“It’s fine. I was late too, just not as late as you.” We both laughed. 

Jane noticed my mismatched socks and commented, “Nice socks. Couldn’t find a full pair?”

I smiled sheepishly and answered “Yeah, I really wanted to wear the zebra striped one but the matching sock was gone this morning.” 

“Why is it so hard to have a full pair of socks? It’s like they grow legs and walk away.” Jane said. 

“Yeah.” I agreed and I thought to myself or like they get carried away by a sock fairy.