Hopeless

     And she was my best friend.

     *****

     "Hi there!" she said to me cheerfully, flashing me a dazzling smile. I could barely count how many straight, white teeth she showed.

     "Oh... hey, Feona," I said casually, stuffing my diary into my slightly tattered, second-hand Faerie Back Pack. As much as it would have flattered her to see what I wrote about her, that wasn't quite a hope of mine.

     "Listen, do you still need my Science notebook?" she asked, shifting to lean on one foot. "You told me earlier that you needed it, I don't know if you still do..."

     "Oh..." I said stupidly, staring for a moment at my friend's curious blue eyes before snapping out of my trance. "Oh, yeah... I need to copy to my notebook some stuff I missed yesterday,"

     The Faerie smiled again, and just then I noticed she was holding her notebook the whole time. "Here you go."

     I took the notebook with a mumble of "Thanks," and was immediately filled with jealousy. Her notebook, unlike mine, was perfect looking - just like her. I recognized the wings and cloudy background - it was an Angelic Notebook. In perfect condition, I should add. I tried desperately to push away from my mind the image of my Tatty and Red Notebooks.

     "Anyway, I have to go now," she said brightly. "I have Flute practice with Jelavo."

     "The Jelavo?" I blurted out before I could stop myself, barely containing my awe. Jelavo was a well known musician that often performed all around Neopia... and Feona was taught by him. Well... she wouldn't be perfect otherwise, I guess, I thought bitterly.

     Feona nodded, and sending me a last bright smile, she waved and flew off. I couldn't help staring after her, watching how her hair didn't even ruffle in the wind, and her dress didn't have even the least stain of dirt. I looked down at my outfit - a purple T-Shirt with a big flower and a long pink skirt - and felt silly. My clothes were like garbage next to Feona's. She was so perfect that it was hard to believe that not only were the two of us Faeries... we were also best friends.

     "Hey, you there... ugly!" I heard a leering call. I spun around, and was alarmed to see the Sweet Six standing in front of me, blocking my way past them (and turning my back on them wasn't even an option if I wanted to keep on leading my life).

     Let me explain. The Sweet Six, which by the way, aren't quite as sweet as their name, are the clique of the 'popular girls' in our school (The Private Faerie Institution). They seemed pretty and nice at a first glance, but once you got to know them, you'd discover they are cruel and quite ugly on the inside. They gossiped, lied, spread rumours and mainly insulted anything not as popular as them. In this case... it was me.

     "W-what?" I stammered, trying to sound brave. I prayed my knobby knees weren't shaking.

     "Stay away from Feona," one of them - I think it was their 'co-leader' - said nastily.

     Feona? I wondered. Why Feona?

     "And if- if I don't?" I stammered nervously.

     "If you don't..." one of the Sweet Six started in a threatening tone.

     I knew she didn't have to finish the sentence. I also knew I should have nodded obediently and ran away, but I couldn't allow myself to be humiliated by them. Again.

     "S-says who?" I stuttered.

     "Do you really want to know?" Kyra, the leader of the Sweet Six, sneered. She turned around, and the rest of the Faeries trailed after her, not before sending me a dirty look.

     "Maybe they're right," I murmured to myself miserably. "Maybe I don't even deserve to have friends as perfect as Feona. I'm just a lowly Faerie, not even a specific Faerie - just a Faerie. Feona, on the other hand, is a perfect Earth Faerie. Everyone loves her because she's so great on the outside and the inside. But me--"

     "What on Neopia are you mumbling on about, dear?"

     I nearly jumped a mile in the air. I barely stopped myself from doing that, but the squeak that came out of my mouth wasn't in my control.

     "Mother! What are you DOING here?"

     The elder Faerie smiled, just barely. The same polite smile she gave all of her acquaintances, fellow Faeries. The same smile.

     "I'm not here for you," she said calmly. "I just stopped by to say hello. I was actually on my way to-"

     "Let me guess... the secret place you are at whenever you're not home, which is all the time?" I filled in, rolling my eyes.

     Mother's silver eyes narrowed, and she said firmly, "You are not being respectful, and I will not allow you to act with such disrespect,"

     I opened my mouth to retort, then clamped it shut. No point to make my bad day even worse. I spun around and walked away.

     I didn't even have to turn around to know she wasn't waiting for me. Calling for me.

     --------------------

     I sat in my purple room (a color I had picked when I was much younger), holding my Huggy Bear and silently weeping.

     "Why does it have to be like this, Tebs?" I whispered to the inanimate object. As emotionless it was, I was most attached to it out of everyone. "Why? How is Feona so perfect, and Mother so famous, and the Sweet Six so fearfully respected, and just I'm so... so... such a nothing!"

     Tebs nodded understandingly. Or so I felt, at least. I suppose I felt so alone that even stuffed bears seemed to care about me more than friends or family.

     Of course, Feona was caring, and that was the whole problem. She was so perfect, so understanding... yet she knew nothing about me really.

     I was just a nothing.

     Nothing.

     -------------------

     "Hi!"

     I flinched at hearing the cheerful call. I slowly and dreadfully turned around.

     "Hey, Feona," I said quietly. "Well, listen, I really have to go... so I'll see you later, and, umm..."

     "Hey, hey!" she laughed. "What's the hurry? School hasn't even started yet!"

     "Um... it's just, uhh... I- I really..." I looked around, hoping for an excuse. I couldn't tell her about my little 'chat' with the Sweet Six, of course. "I just remembered I have to take a book from the school library. See you later..."

     I didn't go to the school library, of course. I ignored Feona's call, and ran off. I just went to the bathroom, locked myself in a cubicle and waited. Waited and waited, until the bell finally rung.

     I then exited the bathroom after a quick glance in the mirror (and then a grimace at the reflection), trying to look normal and hoping that I wouldn't meet the Sweet Six or Feona on the way. I had a bad feeling that the Sweet Six had seen me in the morning with Fe--

     "Hey, jerk,"

     My froze in spot, and my heart sunk to my feet. I recognized that voice.

     "H-hi, Ky- Kyra..." I stammered, slowly backing away.

     "Aw, isn't it cute?" Kyra sneered. "The poor little Faerie is afraid of us... where are you going, ugly?"

     I slowly let the insults, one after another, sink in, as the other Sweet Six snickered. And no one around did anything. No one.

     Figures...

     "We're watching you, you know," Kyra said, more seriously now. She narrowed her eyes. "We saw you this morning with Feona. Don't you remember--"

     "Why do you care about her, anyway?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. I blushed furiously, expecting the Sweet Six to get angry.

     "We have our reasons," one of the other Faeries said haughtily. "Just stay away from her."

     I turn around and ran.

     --------------------

     "I need to speak with you,"

     I looked up in surprise. It was Dr. Elken, the Mathematics teacher. His blue Gelert face was usually wrinkled, either from a wide smile on his face or because of being deep in concentration in an equation. That was what made his classes my favorite, that and the fact I was a genius at Mathematics.

     This time, however, Dr. Elken wasn't smiling - his face was quite serious. I was immediately worried.

     "Why? What happened?"

     The Gelert sighed, and handed me a paper gravely. I recognized it as the Mathematics exam we had last week. My Mathematics exam.

     "What's wrong with it?" I asked confusedly. A moment later, though, I realized - and I gasped.

     "A D minus?" I yelped. "What- but -- how can it be?"

     "I'm sorry, but your exam was unsatisfactory," he said sadly, turned around and left.

     Holding the failing exam to my chest, I leaned against the wall and collapsed on the ground.

     I couldn't take it anymore.

     Anything.

     ***************

     That very same Faerie, the Faerie that never seemed perfect enough to her mother, felt useless next her best friend and felt like a failure, grew up into Neopia's most known Faerie ever. The most respected Faerie that Faerieland ever knew, the very Faerie that Neopians today all over Neopia admire and worship.

     That very same Faerie is now the Queen of Faerieland, the Faerie Queen... Fyora.

The End