A Final Goodbye

Dear Kayla,

There are so many things you take granted in life - friendship especially. That's why I'm writing this now. As a goodbye letter. For a friend who never left my side.

     I remember the day we met, oh so long ago -- don't you, Kayla? The sun had been shining brightly in the sky that fateful day, its rays like long golden fingers stroking the world. I had been picnicking in the garden with my plushies and Usuki dolls when I heard somebody yelling, "Spotty! Come back!"

     Such a bizarre comment that was. I couldn't resist peeking at the earthy pathway to take a look at the shouter. That was when I saw you for the first time - your paws muddy, clumsily galloping after a chubby Puppyblew.

     Right in front of the garden gate you stopped, panting, and let out a cry of annoyance. "Spotty!" you had screamed. "Come back you ugly Puppyblew! This isn't a marathon we're running! This was supposed to be a calm walk around the neighborhood!"

     I couldn't help but giggle, and this attracted your attention. You turned toward me, and gave an awkward wave. I had never been very social, but yet, I still did return the wave, as hesitant as it was.

     "I'm Kayla!" you then exclaimed. You pushed open the gate with your Lupe paw and plodded over to me, then plopped down onto the picnic blanket beside dear Fluffy the Teenage Usuki doll.

     I had grinned uneasily and muttered, "I'm Naomi."

     "Naomi, eh?" Despite how quiet the comment was, you had heard me loud and clear. Good ears, you always did have. When I didn't reply to you, you added, "I really like that name."

     "Thanks," I whispered. I shifted around uncomfortably for a few moments.

     "Wanna help me get Spotty? She's my Puppyblew. If I lose another petpet Grey - that's my owner - will have a fit." You scrunched up your nose thinking of your last lost petpet, an Angelpuss named Halo. "She deserved to be lost!" you had later yelled. "She was stupid anyway!"

     But no, you had said that later. Years later, actually. Right now you had invited me to help you try to retrieve Spotty. I had politely refused the invitation, but you kept begging me and begging me, finally to the point where I could've punched you out of irritation.

     Your last plead on that matter was, "FINE! THAN BE THAT WAY!" and then you had hopped to your feet and stormed away.

     Oh how relieved I was. I collapsed back onto the blanket, breathing softly. That Kayla is such a pest, I thought. I didn't see you, Kayla, for a mere 2 more days. But then, you came to me as a surprise. One could probably even call it an accident.

     It was about 5 pm, and my owner, Leah, was preparing dinner. I was sitting on the old ripped sofa in the living room, reading. Then was a knock on the door.

     "Can you get that, Naomi!?" Leah had screamed.

     "Sure!" I had hollered back.

     Leaving my book on the couch, I leapt to my paws and padded over to the door. I was fumbling around with the lock when a voice screamed, "WHAT THE HECK IS TAKING YOU SO LONG, MIA!?"

     I recognized your tone, Kayla, and I froze. That moronic Lupe! I thought sourly. But yet, I still continued with the lock, and finally, swung the door open.

     "Hey, where's Mia!?" you demanded immediately.

     "Wrong house, Kayla," I snapped.

     "Do I know you?" I think using your name had scared you a bit. Maybe it had scared me, too. I hadn't planned on calling you Kayla. It just came out.

     "We met the other day in my front garden," I replied huffily.

     "Ooh, yeah. Naomi, right? The little Kougra who wouldn't help me chase after Spotty?" You scowled and added, "I still haven't found that dumb Puppyblew. Grey had a breakdown."

     I stiffened. "Are you serious?" I questioned nervously. The thought of me being the reason for a stray petpet didn't settle well with my stomach.

     "Positive." You had let out a long sigh, Kayla, one that I still remember today. I had thought it was real at the time, but now I know it's just your 'pity-me' sigh.

     "Um… I'm sorry," I said.

     "Well, I sure did love that Puppyblew, but I guess it's not your fault." You sniffled dramatically.

     "I thought you said Spotty was stupid…?"

     Kayla, you grinned this grin so wide I was sure you were stretching your mouth farther than it should really go. "Stupid is good," you told me. "Stupid Puppyblew means good Puppyblew where I come from."

     "Which is where?" I gulped awkwardly, because I must admit, as silly as it may sound, I was rather frightened that you were an alien.

     "I'm JOKING!" you exclaimed. You broke into laughter - the really contagious kind. Soon I was laughing as well, and there we were, nearly strangers, hysterical. A strange sight that must've been for Leah when she walked up to me.

     "Whose this, Naomi?" she inquired.

     I choked back the laughter and stared up at her. "This is Kayla," I had informed her.

     "And who is Kayla?"

     "She's an uh…" I didn't know what to say. Somebody who had showed up at the wrong house, and had, coincidentally, met me in the front garden a few days ago?

     "I'm Naomi's friend," you finished. Normally, I think, I would've protested to such words. But right then, I felt on top of the world. I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time. I was beyond happy.

     "Yeah, this is Kayla. She's my friend."

     Time passed quickly for us, Kayla. Each weekday we'd meet after-school at the library; weekends we spent doing an assortment of activities, from fishing to writing to even pulling pranks on the neighbors here and there. Oh, remember the time we told Peter - that old crazy Kacheek who lived next door to you at one point - that Neopia had been invaded by talking cheese? I will never forget that look on your face when he believed it. Oh Fyora, we had both broke out laughing so hard, and Peter hadn't understood it was a joke even then. I wouldn't be surprised if he still believes the cheese theory, Kayla.

     When thinking of our years spent together, this situation comes to mind. Do you recall the trip the two of us took to Mystery Island four years back?

     It was early morning, and the tent was dark. Pitch black, really. Suddenly, I found something cold against my paws. Not just cold, though, because the tent couldn't have been above 45 degrees, but wet and cold.

     "Kayla!" I had groaned. "Stoppit!"

     But when you answered back from a distance far enough where you COULDN'T have been touching me, I freaked out. "Kayla," I hissed, "there's something in here."

     You had sat straight up. I could tell this even though I couldn't see you. "What do you mean, Naomi?" you hissed back.

     "There's… there's something TOUCHING me."

     In barely a second -- and I'm not kidding -- I heard you fumbling around with the matches, and soon the lantern Grey had insisted we bring along was lit. You held it out toward my cot, and you screamed when you saw the invader in our tent. I screamed too.

     Sniffing my feet casually was a wild petpet of some sort, which had hoisted itself up onto my cot some way or another. "K-K-Kayla," I had squeaked. "What IS that thing?"

     "I DON'T KNOW!" Your voice was like a roar, and I felt as if every single resident on Mystery Island had heard you through the stillness of the night.

     I blinked, and the next thing I knew, you were standing up, waving your arms in the air like a maniac. "SHOO!" you screamed. "SHOO! GET OUT WHATEVER YOU ARE!"

     Then CRASH! The sound of something crashing on… on where?! I looked around frantically, trying to discover the source. When I didn't find one, I bellowed, "Kayla, what was that!?"

     It was then that I realized the tent was pitch-black again. The lantern… the lantern was the crash. Had it been intentional?

     "Just scaring the thing away, Naomi!" you had bragged.

     I narrowed my eyes questioningly, but then realized that nothing was sniffing at my feet anymore. Your crash had worked, Kayla. You had left shards of pointy glass everywhere, but it had worked.

     I have so many stories like that, Kayla. But I won't bore you with all of them. You were there afterall when they happened - you don't need to listen to them in text. Oh Kayla, how hard it was to write this letter. Knowing that it was a letter saying goodbye. A final goodbye.

     The memories, well, they'll never fade. I'll cherish them forever, all those good times we had together.

     I'm near tears now, Kayla. What now to say? What now to do? All these years we spent together summed up in a simple letter? And when the letter's done, what will I do? Envelope it and ship it off in the mail? Not even knowing if you'll ever see it at all?

     Leah's yelling at me now - "It's time for school!" she's saying. Remember the time I slept over at your house and Grey forgot that we had school in the morning? I'll never forget that. I'll never forget Grey either. Cruel at times, I know, but gentle at heart.

     The tears have come, Kayla. They're pouring down my face, damping my fur. I can't write anymore. I'll wet the paper and smudge the ink.

     Oh Fyora, Kayla. Oh Fyora. It has come down to this now? You were the best friend, Kayla, always there for me. Always supporting me. You were so loyal - so nice. You were my backbone at some points. Like the time when Leah was near broke and abandoned my little brother - I know it was for his betterment, but I was hysterical for days. And you were there.

     Rambling on about the good times. Is that all I do? I must wipe away my tears and face the facts.

     It's hard to do this… oh so very hard…

     I don't want to move my paw. I don't want the ink to come out of the pen to write the following letters. But I have to. No matter how much I wish I didn't, I do.

     Kayla, this letter is my farewell.

     So… so… goodbye.

     Your ever-faithful friend,

     Naomi

The End

A/N: Well, that's my attempt to write an emotional story. I hope you enjoyed it - Neomail me if you have anything to say.