The Chocolate Cake: Part One

     “Oh Brianna, your chocolate truly is scrumptious!” Claire would squeal, nibbling happily on her specially made Cybunny chocolate Brianna had given to her.

     Brianna was very popular at neoschool, as everyone always crowded around her, begging chocolate off her, and Brianna was always happy to give it away. She made different shapes and sizes depending on the neopet she was giving it too as well, handing out large Skeith bars for the Skeiths, small, easy to chew bites of chocolate for the younger neopets, and even big, juicy chia-shaped treats for the Lupes. (although I can say the Chias weren't too happy about THAT one!)

     One day, however, there was a new kid at school. It was a male speckled Quiggle, named weirdly enough, Apple.

     “Hey, Apple!” Brianna said kindly, handing Apple a piece of an orange chocolate Quiggle she had in her bag from earlier.

     Apple looked nervously down at the chocolate in his hand, before quickly giving it back to Brianna. Brianna looked hurt, and Claire noticed.

     “Hey! Chocolate is really special to Brianna, how dare you not take it!” Claire growled, glaring at Apple angrily.

     “It's okay, Claire...” Brianna sighed. But then she cheered up. “So what's wrong then?” Brianna asked curiously. “You allergic to chocolate or something?”

     Apple sadly shook his head.

     “Well, WHAT then?” Claire snapped, growing impatient.

     “Ummm... I... I'm kinda not... not allowed... ch... chocolate...” Apple mumbled, looking down at his toes embarrassedly.

     Claire took a step back.

     “WHAT?” she asked, in case she had misheard.

     But then suddenly, a big gang of male neopets who HAD heard right came over and started sniggering.

     “Not allowed CHOCOLATE? Who isn't allowed CHOCOLATE?” a large male Zafara laughed, spitting as he spoke.

     Apple shrugged worriedly, before mumbling quietly, “Me...”

     The rest of the male gang laughed even louder.

     “Whatever,” the Zafara said, turning to walk away. His tail hit sharply against Apple's face, making Apple wobble and finally topple over.

     Brianna couldn't help feeling just a little bit sorry for poor Apple, and the way the boys were treating him. She put her paw out to help Apple up. But the Zafara noticed and snatched Brianna's paw back.

     “Don't help that runt!” he snarled. “And anyway, where's my chocolate, I've been waiting ALL DAY for it!” he demanded.

     “I'll HELP who I WANT to help!” Brianna cried angrily. “Oh, and HERE'S your CHOCOLATE!” Brianna roared, flinging the Zafara's chocolate bar in his face.

     The Zafara took a step back and angrily wiped the chocolate off his fur. The rest of his gang chuckled quietly. The Zafara looked like he was about to say something, but instead he just turned away and growled, muttering things under his breathe as he stormed off in a huff.

     “Th... thanks,” Apple said quietly, standing up. “But you didn't need to do that... f... for me...”

     “Nonsense,” Brianna said, smiling. “Let's go, Claire,” Brianna said, turning to walk off with Claire.

      Just as they were walking away, Brianna turned around and winked at Apple, and Apple just blushed and turned away quickly. Apple had made a new friend.

     And so it turned out Apple was the son of the Health Food store Quiggle, and so he had been banned from any unhealthy food, including chocolate. But the next day, Apple brought in a special present just for Brianna.

     “Ummm... thanks?” Brianna said, putting on a fake smile as she unwrapped the tin of carrots Apple had given her.

     “My dad said they weren't selling very well...” Apple admitted. “But I knew you would just love them, so I took them and well... here they are!” Apple said, turning red.

     Brianna nodded and smiled until eventually Apple walked away, and then she shoved them at Claire and watched guiltily as she slurped them up greedily.

     “Yummy! Why did you get these, Brianna?” Claire asked, flecks of carrot flying from Claire's mouth onto Brianna's face.

     “Because...” Brianna sighed. “Apple gave them to me, and you know I don't like vegetables...” she sighed again, wiping bits of carrot from her face.

     “Oh...” Claire said, suddenly spitting all the carrots out. “Are they out of date or something?” she demanded.

     “No! No! They just weren't selling very well... apparently.”

     “BECAUSE they were out of date, DUH!” Claire huffed, pushing the plate of half chewed carrots away from her.

     Brianna couldn't help wonder if maybe, just maybe, the carrots were out of date after all.

     No! Brianna shook herself. How could she think such a cruel thought about her new sort-of-friend.

     Brianna sighed as the bell rang for the end of recess and they had to go to class. Apple wasn't in Brianna and Claire's class, as he was younger than them, which was why they were both very shocked when their teacher announced that Apple would be joining them that day!

     “Now class...” their elderly brown Xweetok teacher started. “I have just been informed by the principal that starting from today Apple here will be joining our class.”

     There were squeals of shock, anger and outrage as the teacher pushed Apple off to sit next to Brianna and Claire. Claire sighed and hit her head against the table several times in front of Brianna when Apple wasn't looking.

     “Shhh!” Brianna giggled, as Apple suddenly turned to face them. “So Apple, how in Neopia are you in this class? I thought you were younger than us.”

     Apple shuffled uncomfortably on his seat, his face turning scarlet.

     “Oh... well... you see... I kinda got moved up to this year... the Principal thought I was too smart to be with people the same age as me...”

     Brianna and Claire fell silent.

     “But...” Apple said, suddenly cheering up. “It means I get to be in your class now! Great or what?”

     “Yeah, great...” Claire said with sarcasm, rolling her eyes.

     “Claire!” Brianna hissed, kicking Claire under the table.

     “So Apple... you're smart, are you? Well... that's good... I guess... Brianna said, but had to stop quickly as the teacher looked icily at her, signalling for her to silence herself.

     “Now, class... I've got some very important news for you today. I'm not sure if everyone will be interested in this, but I think I know someone who will...” the teacher said, looking down at Brianna and almost smiling.

     “Get on with it, mister!” the rude Zafara bully that had been mean to Apple earlier snarled, sitting far back in his seat, chewing at his tail and spitting out the fur.

     “Enough with the cheek, David!” the Xweetok teacher growled, hitting his ruler against the table, causing David to be quiet.

     “So as I was saying, the school will be having a very special contest, a cookery contest!”

     “Hey! Brianna will win that!” someone suddenly cried, and before the old Xweetok knew what was happening, everyone was suddenly talking about it.

     “Brianna'll win with her chocolate muffins!” someone cried.

     “No! She'll win with her chocolate-coated bananas!” another person grinned.

     “What about her scrummy chocolate Lupe treats!” one neopet (presumably a Lupe) cheered, to the disgust of several Chias.

     But then, suddenly, someone shouted something that REALLY got everyone talking.

     “No! She'll win with her CHOCOLATE CAKE!” and as everyone turned to see who it was, Brianna already knew. It was David.

     Brianna froze. Chocolate cake? She couldn't make CHOCOLATE CAKE! She could make nearly anything but definitely NOT chocolate cake. But nobody seemed to back her up, not even Claire.

     “Great idea, David!” Claire gushed, smiling widely at Brianna.

     The teacher nodded certainly.

     “Indeed it is. Well, Brianna, would you like one of these forms to fill out, then?” he asked.

     “Ummm... I... I'm not too sure...”

     “She'd love one!” Claire suddenly cried, snatching one of the entry forms and shoving at Brianna.

     “Oh dear...” Brianna shook her head, but argued no further. Maybe it would all be forgotten about soon enough.

     But suddenly, Apple did something that shocked everyone, even himself.

     “Mr Roberts? I would like to enter too...” Apple mumbled, looking down at his feet nervously.

     Mr Roberts wrinkled his nose, and looked slightly in shock.

     “Ummm... Apple? You cook?” Mr Roberts asked, suddenly feeling very embarrassed as he had only taken one form, thinking Brianna would be the only one to enter.

     But before Apple had time to answer, Mr Roberts had rushed out of class, trying to hunt down another form.

     The second he left, the class erupted into a fit of laughter.

     “Apple? Cooking? Hey what are you gonna cook? A CARROT?” Claire snorted before slinking down in her chair when she saw Brianna's icy glare.

     But nobody else stopped.

     “Yeah, Apple! If it ain't got chocolate in it, nobody's interested, ain't that right, Brianna?” David grunted.

     Brianna looked down at her paws and quietly mumbled, “Yeah, I guess... .”

     But Apple heard. “Brianna... I thought you'd support me about this...” he sighed, turning away to hide his tears.

     “Apple...” Brianna started, putting a paw on Apple's shoulder.

     But Apple shrugged it away and growled.

     Just as Mr Roberts returned with the entry form, the bell rang. It was the end of school. Everyone charged out, leaving Apple and Brianna alone to fill out their forms.

     Brianna nervously filled it in.

     Name: Brianna Johnson

     Species: Ogrin

     Cooking:

     Brianna stopped and sighed at the last question. She leaned over to see what Apple had written, but he had covered it with his arm, making it impossible to read.

     Brianna took a deep breath, and filled it in quickly.

     Cooking: Chocolate Cake

To be continued...