Oh, Valentine!

"Oh, Valentine!" I mumbled looking at a note my friend had wrote me. The purple Poogle slumped in his chair. I read this dreadful note one more time holding back the tears that where forming in my eyes. It said:

Dear Drad,

I'm sorry to say this, old pal, but my father is moving. We are moving to Krawk Island. I know, right before Valentine's Day. I'm so sorry. What a dreadful place it shall be. Pirates, that's all they have! I don't think father realizes that our fortune will be stripped from us! I'm hiding the locket you gave me. I'm burying it in the ground in our hidden place. Never dig it up! Never, Drad. It shall remain there, it will be my vow to come and return to you. I promise to see you again one day, no matter what happens.

Your Only,

Valentine.

I covered my eyes as I looked at the enclosed picture of my strawberry fields painted Poogle friend. I read it one more time. Hidden place? What hidden place. Never… never had I heard of our hidden place. This had stumped me. Shaking my head I tried forgetting about it and headed into the kitchen.

I fixed myself a bowl of NeoCrunch and sat down forcing myself to gulp down each spoonful. My mother came in. She looked at my sad expression. She sat down by me, and snuggled me. "Everything will be alright. You'll find many other pets to hang out with," she comforted me. I looked up at my mother.

"How do you know?" I sniffled.

"I'm your mother," she said. "I don't think it's such a pleasant idea either, but it's not our choice."

I grabbed my book bag and headed out for school. I walked alone, the question still ran through my head. Hidden place, hidden place, hidden place, ranted through my head. The thought soon left me as I headed towards my first class, Poogle-nology. It's something the school had created since the school was specifically for Poogles only. It was about the history and places Poogles first settled and how they got to Neopia.

I jotted down notes Mrs. Burno had said. She thinks we don't know there is going to be a pop-quiz tomorrow but we do. Today my mind was on Valentine other than the history of my ancestors. Everyone else's seemed to be too, but they weren't jumpy about Valentine my friend. They were jumpy because tomorrow was Valentine's day. I had sworn… I had sworn to Valentine she would be my Valentine.

The bell rang and we all hurried out of class to our lockers. I slumped against mine, my next classes books laying next to me. Georgo, my other closest friend came up to me.

"'Ey pal, what's got ya in the dumps?" he asked, his normal slang kicking in. He held out his paw, wanting to do our traditional handshake. We had every named it the Yeodle Handy Dandy 'Cause of Mandy Shake. The bell rang again and the halls where cleared. "Dude, ya did it again! I'm late for class!" complained Georgo running off to his class.

I stood stuffing the dreadful letter back into my pocket. I had though of throwing the thing into our fire but decided not to. I went to my next class, Peace. It was another class made just for Poogles so that we would know how to be nice, generous and respectful.

Soon the day was finally finished, and I headed back passing and stopping at Valentine's house only for a light glimpse of it. Hidden place, raced through my head again as I began to run home.

Slamming the door behind me I ran to my room as fast as I could. Childish as it sounds I cried. I cried all through dinner. I didn't eat. I cried myself to sleep.

As I awoke my mother was looking down at me. "I'm sorry, Drad. There's no way of contacting her," she kissed me lightly on the head. "Come on down for breakfast once your ready." She smiled lovingly at me and I wiped my eyes.

***

I walked up Valentine's porch steps as I thought about the hidden place on my way home from school. I tried opening the door, but it was locked. I headed towards the cellar pulling it open. I walked down there. The smell of roses filled my nose as I walked down there and I remembered Valentine. She always had to have roses down here to get the stench away. I looked at the roses, soon to be wilted. I filled them with water and looked around. Lifting each cushion, opening each door, trying to loosen each floor board, I looked but nothing. I sighed, where would she have hid it? Wait I wasn't supposed to look for it… but the hidden place. She obviously wanted me to find out what it was.

With a sigh I stood and began up the steps. Shrieking with excitement I opened all the steps up but nothing. I rolled down the stairs and rammed into the table with the roses. I groaned and leapt towards the vase but it crashed, water spilling and the roses ripped. I looked at a wet piece of paper. I opened it in running ink it said:

Drad, I'm very happy for you to see this note. I hope you shall get a chance to read this. I knew you would be stumped with the hidden place and would go through anything to find it. Why would you think I'd leave the cellar door open, silly! The locket has a message for you in it, on the gold splitting it is my vow. Do not open that part, or the promise shall be broken. These clues will help you to find that locket and the place I always thought special to us, even though we never had gone there. Trust me, it isn't far and you shall not travel great distances. Who knows, maybe not even as far as your own backyard!

Your Valentine.

I folded the note and shoved it into one of my pockets. I thought the note over again and headed home. I ate dinner and fell asleep. A good night's rest should make me think better.

I awoke. Thank goodness today was Saturday. I ran downstairs and to my backyard with a shovel. I began to dig it up, not thinking about what my parents would think. Soon the whole yard was dug up and every inch searched, no note. I moaned and slumped. "I've let her down!" I whined. I jumped up eyes alight. "I know!" I yelled as I rushed off.

"Maybe in your own back yard," I repeated the lines and raced to my destination. Running as if my life depended on it. I ran into her backyard and dug up her roses. "In your own backyard!" I exclaimed. "We always called each other as one."

I opened the note and read it:

Dear Drad,

Surprised you made it this far. Never had I thought you so smart. Our hidden place is the place of peace. My favorite flower lies there. Your favorite catchphrase is on the sign. I know, easy clues. But… Oh! I cannot wait for you to find it. I will come home take my heart on it. I've already said to much.

Again,

Your Valentine.

I ran! I ran to the parlor, the ice-cream parlor's garden. Digging up a rose with the phrase, diggity, above it and the pedals where heart shaped. The locket was in there. I couldn't help but choke down a cry.

My hands fidgeted as the lock opened and a tiny note fell out. Pictures of us where there and the note read:

Drad! Drad… I love you! Always have. Please remember me always never again will I fight with you! I love you, Drad. Am I not right you feel the same about me? I know this sounds foolish, but I will never love another since I promise myself to you. I am promised to you, whether or not you agree! I will never know your response, but remember what I have promised!

"I love you too," I said kissing the note and not daring open the other side and took the paper and ran home. Not ever knowing if she will come home to me, but I am promised and will never love another. I still hold that vow and always will.

The End