Memories

I was spring cleaning my room in my neohome. Mother had been constantly telling me to clean up my ever-so-messy room. She insisted that I clean my room today since she wanted the neohome to be spic and span without my things strewn all over the place. I reluctantly agreed as I was free today and had not much to do. I got down to clearing my things in the afternoon, not wanting Mother to be displeased when she got home from shopping in Neopia Central. I placed my wearables in the closet. I placed my huge collection of plushies into the large box where they belong. I carried all my books to the shelf and started to stack them up.

     As I was piling up my books, I came across an old painting. The painting was a picture of my good friend, Chloe the faerie Cybunny, and me, a striped Shoyru, having fun in the snowy meadows. She was hopping along and I was trying to chase her. Together, Chloe and I painted this painting last year just before Christmas. It happened when Chloe came over to my neohome to play and we would always have fun together. It has been months since we last met and this sudden discovery triggered many fond memories.

     It only felt like yesterday when we met each other by accident. It started in the food shop in Neopia Central when we were fighting over the last delicious chocolate milkshake.

      "Hey! That is my chocolate milkshake!" cried the Cybunny.

     "No, it is not! I took it first!" I yelled furiously.

     "Well, I saw it first!" shouted the stranger angrily.

     "I do not see your name on it," I retorted to the stranger.

     "This chocolate milkshake is mine!" I said and clenched my fist.

     "Come on. Please do not fight over the chocolate milkshake. How about both of you compromise and share the drink? I will split it in equal halves for both of you," the yellow Chia inside the food shop suggested wearily after hearing our loud argument.

     "Fine," I replied reluctantly to the shopkeeper. The faerie Cybunny nodded in agreement.

     Eventually, the yellow Chia in the food shop split the milkshake in half and we both could share it.

     "Here you are! Enjoy your milkshakes!" the shopkeeper told us.

     Later, while I was happily enjoying my chocolate milkshake, the faerie Cybunny hopped over and approached me.

     "Hello there! I see you like chocolate milkshakes too?" the faerie Cybunny asked shyly.

     "Yes, I do! It is my favourite drink especially on a blazing afternoon like this one," I giggled.

     "Well, anyway, I am Chloe. What is your name?" questioned my new friend Chloe.

     "Hello, Chloe! You can call me Sara. It is a pleasure meeting you," I answered.

     After we introduced ourselves to each other, we took a slow stroll around Neopia Central. We talked about all sorts of things and soon became good friends. We told each other our stories, secrets and problems. Whenever we talked to each other, we were able to empathize and understand each other even more. Both of us were such good friends that we knew each other inside and out. Our likes and dislikes of random things like food or colours. Besides that, we would also have fun and chase each other in the grassy valleys during spring. Both of us would go for a dip in the warm waters in the nearby beach or build sand castles and eat ice cream over summer. In fall, we would be throwing autumn leaves at each other. When it started snowing in winter, we would be busy throwing snowballs at each other and making snow angels and patterns. If we were not playing, we would visit Neopia Central and go to the book store to borrow books or eat and drink in the food shop.

     Chloe also taught me new skills such as how to be quick and feed kadoaties. Once in a while, we would also go and feed kadoaties and drop a neopoint in the wishing well to make a hopeful wish. We would also go to each other neohome and play. We had imaginative ideas and could do anything such as read books, fix a jigsaw puzzle or play with my huge collection on plushies. There was even an incident when I lost my neopoints and Clara accompanied me to the Defenders of Neopia's headquarters to report this case to Judge Hog. We shared good and bad times together.

     Everything changed when Chloe came to my neohome one humid afternoon, her eyes brimming with tears.

     "Sara! You will never believe what my mother just told me," exclaimed Chloe, choking back her tears.

     "Are you alright, Chloe? Please tell me what happened!" I asked anxiously.

     "I do not want to move! I simply refused but Mother would not listen to me!" cried Chloe.

     "I beg your pardon? Move? Where are you going? Alright, please say your piece slowly and calmly. Do not worry," I said, trying to console Chloe, whose voice was very muffled.

     "Mother told me that we will be moving to Faerieland next week. She managed to get a job at the Faerieland Employment Agency and the whole family is moving there," mumbled Chloe.

     "What? Really? That is so soon! I cannot believe you are moving to Faerieland. It is extremely far away!" I replied. At that moment, I was feeling astounded and appalled. My heart started to palpitate wildly. I could not believe that Chloe would ever be moving away. We had a lot of fun together. Both of us were able to talk for hours without stopping and laughed freely. I also learnt various things from Chloe and vice versa. We shared everything together. There were both, good and bad things such as toys and problems. This news hit me badly. I felt as if the sky had come down crashing on me. All around me the area were in a whirl. Swirls of grey clouds filled my vision. What would I ever do without my best friend?

     The dreaded day finally arrived when Chloe had to move out of Neopia Central to Faerieland. I bid good bye to my good friend, Chloe. Both our eyes were now brimming with tears.

     "Goodbye, Chloe! I hope you will not forget me because I will never forget you!" I yelled.

     "Keep in touch, Sara! Take care! Remember to feed those kadoaties for me!" Chloe cried back.

     Chloe's shadow became smaller and smaller as she moved further and further away.

     Soon, we both became busy and we did not talk as much as we used to. Days became weeks and eventually weeks became months. Soon, we stopped talking altogether and began leading our own lives.

     I treasure the memories fondly and stared wistfully at the old painting. I wiped a teardrop that dropped down on the painting. I could not help but think how Chloe was doing then. Was she happy in her new home? How is she? What is she doing at this point of time? The evening sun started to shine through the windows. I peered outside. The shadows were gaining ground. I could see the crimson red streaks and golden orange streaks across the sky as the evening sun started to set. I continued to quickly pack all my things and cleared my room. I knew my mother would be home very soon from shopping in Neopia Central and I did not want to displease her.

     Moments later, I sat on my bed after I finished clearing up my room. After a while, I finally decided to send Chloe a neomail to catch up with her after many months. It has been far too long! In the back of my mind, I knew that this was going to be a renewal of a once warm friendship!

The End