pink bracelets!" Patricia looked over and was surprised to see that Sparkles' new friends–a Uni, a Kacheek and a Poogle–were all wearing matching pink sweaters, pink skirts and were all pink themselves! "Scary, do you know who those girls are?" Patricia wondered.
Scary sighed. "They call themselves the 'Pink Ladies', and they do nothing but help others out and hang around the Grooming Parlour. Personally, I think they're all vapid and ugly."
"I didn't know Sparkles was a Pink Lady," said Patricia.
"She wasn't until the Uni came to our house to promote her stupid club," Scary explained. "And because Sparkles was a pink Bruce, she had insisted that she check out her group and since that stupid day, Sparkles has left us in favour for the dark side."
Patricia shook her head. "Sparkles wouldn't leave us because she feels... well, more welcome in another group of girls that are, conveniently, the same colour as her. Maybe she's still checking them out?"
Scary banged a fist on the table. "There's no way Sparkles would ever join a club that makes you wear garden gloves when you're not gardening!" she exclaimed
Patricia turned to the other table and was relieved that Sparkles was still chatting and had not heard Scary's outburst. "Scary, maybe you're just exaggerating. Besides, what's wrong with Sparkles having a new set of friends?"
"Well, what if Sparkles is involved in criminal activities?" asked Scary. She turned to glare at the pink Ixi. "I'm sure that Ixi is somewhat involved with Dr. Sloth... or worse, that Random Events scientist!"
"Uh... I don't think that scientist guy is evil," said Patricia. "Besides, you said those girls do nothing but volunteer and shop at the Grooming Parlour."
"I still think they're evil," Scary grumbled. "And there's no way Sparkles should be allowed to join those freaks!"
"Well, how about we talk to her after school," Patricia suggested. "Maybe we can even ask her to meet us at the Smoothie Shop, too."
"You think she'd want to ditch her clones to hang with us?" asked Scary.
Patricia nodded. "Sure she would. In fact, I'm positive she'll say yes right away!"
***
"Hey Sparkles," Patricia said as she approached her friend's locker. "Haven't seen you in a while, huh?"
Sparkles smiled and closed her locker. "Hey Pat, long time no see!"
Scary rolled her eyes. "And hello to you too, sister," she said with a sigh.
"Oh, hi Scary," said Sparkles. "So Pat, how have you been?"
Patricia shrugged her shoulders. "Not bad, I suppose. But Scary and I were wondering if you would like to go to the Smoothie Shop with us after school today."
"That sounds fun," said Sparkles. "Just let me get my change purse from my–"
A pink Kacheek ran over to Sparkles and grabbed her arm. "Sparkles, there you are! Come on, we have to go to the Soup Kitchen or else we won't be able to ladle soup to the elderly pets!"
"Ooh, ladle soup for the poor," said Scary sarcastically. "That sounds ever so much fun and important."
Sparkles looked over at Scary and Patricia and then at the Kacheek that was grasping her arm. Finally she sighed and followed the Kacheek out of Neoschool while her two friends stared. "Maybe next time!" she shouted as she ran out of the front entrance.
Scary groaned. "You see what she has become! She'd rather feed old Neopians than hang out with us! She has officially crossed over to the dark side!"
"But I'm certain she's still our friend," Patricia insisted. "Maybe we can find Lola and–"
"I'd rather babysit petpets!" Scary shouted, stomping towards the front entrance.
Patricia sighed.
she thought, Perhaps Lola and I can go to the Smoothie Shop instead. I just hope we haven't lost Sparkles to those Pink Ladies for good...
***
"Thanks so much for coming to the Smoothie Shop, Lola," said Patricia.
Lola smiled and sipped her smoothie. "So, why did you only invite me? Where are Scary and Sparkles?"
"Well, Scary left Neoschool in a hurry," Patricia explained, "so I wasn't able to ask her to come along. And about Sparkles–" Suddenly Patricia stopped talking and watched as a pink Ixi and a pink Uni entered the shop, giggling loudly as they walked towards a table near the one Patricia and Lola were sitting at.
"Are you okay, Patricia?" asked Lola. The yellow Cybunny looked over curiously at the two pink pets and then turned to sip her smoothie.
Patricia nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that those girls over there are members of this group of girls called the Pink Ladies. Scary said the Uni recruited Sparkles, and now she hasn't been spending time with either one of us! She's rather spend time with her new friends than with her old friends." "I'm sure Sparkles doesn't mean to leave you guys," Lola insisted. "Have you tried talking to her?"
"Yes, but even that didn't work," said Patricia.
Lola looked down at her smoothie and twirled her straw with her finger. "Are you happy that Sparkles has made new friends, Patricia?" she asked.
"I'm afraid I don't follow," said Patricia.
"Well, what if the problem here is you and Scary aren't happy about Sparkles making new friends," Lola suggested. "Perhaps the real reason you two are upset is because you're envious that Sparkles has found a group of girls that like the same things she likes and are the same colour as her."
"But I'm not jealous!" Patricia insisted. "I mean I can understand Scary, no problem. But I have no issues with Sparkles making new friends."
"Then why don't you want her to spend time with the Pink Ladies?" asked Lola.
Patricia sighed loudly. "I don't know! It's just that I don't feel its right for a friend to leave her real best friends for a new clique of girls she doesn't know that well and is willing to leave her real friends for those clique-girls when they clearly just like to look alike and–"
"You're afraid you might be losing your best friend?" Lola interrupted. She reached over and placed her paw on Patricia's hand. "I understand how you feel, Patricia. But even if Sparkles decides to hang out with those girls, she hasn't really left you and Scary, right? I think what you should do is let Sparkles spend time with those girls and let her know that it's okay for her to make new friends, as well as assure her that her older friends will never leave her."
"You're right," said Patricia. She looked at her half-finished smoothie and pushed it away from her. "I'll make sure to tell Scary that tomorrow. Thanks, Lola, you really are a good friend."
Lola nodded. "That's what friends are for," she said with a grin.
***
"That girl is corrupt!" Scary exclaimed the next day at Neoschool. She banged her locker loudly with frustration. "How could that stupid Cybunny understand anything that's not carrot gardening!? Clearly she was also bought to enter the dark side with Sparkles and those three frilly freaks!"
"But she's right," Patricia insisted. "Besides, what's so wrong for Sparkles to hang out with three other girls?"
Scary learned forward and whispered, "I heard they'll be a five-some after a pink Lenny joins the group."
"So?" asked Patricia.
"It means they're evil!" said Scary. "And if Sparkles is really the prissy Miss goody-goody I think she is, she should leave those Stinky Pinkies and come rejoin our group!"
"Hi guys!" Sparkles cheered as she walked over to her friends. The pink Bruce showed off the pink sweater and purple skirt ensemble she was wearing.
Patricia gasped. "Sparkles, I thought you would be eating your lunch with the Pink Ladies again. What are you doing here?"
Sparkles laughed. "Oh, I left those girls yesterday after they asked me what I'll be wearing today and when they ordered me a small strawberry-tomato smoothie. Can you believe those girls think we'd have to wear pink the time?"
Scary glared at her. "Don't you wear pink every day, anyways?"
Sparkles shook her head. "Today I decided to wear this purple skirt. And tomorrow I have this cute yellow sundress that will look great with this white hat I have."
Patricia smiled and linked arms with Sparkles. "Let's go to our cafeteria table before somebody else takes it."
"Great," said Sparkles. "I can't wait to talk to Lola!"
"I can't wait for you to change out of purple skirt!" Scary exclaimed. Patricia laughed. Well, I can't wait for things to return back to normal, she thought as the three girls walked towards the cafeteria.
The End
