"You asked me if there was anything you could do for me." she said quietly to herself. "There is something, but I daren't ask it of you - love me."
Just then, she heard a gentle knock at her door.
"Yuni?" a hushed voice whispered from outside. "It's me, Layla. Can I come in?"
She opened the door and let her in.
"Oh Layla, why on Majix did I do that?" she said, trying her best not to burst into tears.
"I was just going to ask you that. I thought you were going to try and keep a lid on your crush."
"I try but... it's just so difficult. I mean, I tried to avoid him at lunch today, but instead I end up sitting right opposite him where I can't help looking at him. I try to keep away from him, but we just end up getting closer. I try to stop thinking about him... but I can't."
"Oh dear. Well, maybe this'll help take your mind off him." she said, handing Anyuna a small box.
"For me?"
"Well, you did ask me to get you something nice from back home!"
"Aww thanks! Can I open it now?"
"Of course, unless you want to wait a few months for your birthday!"
Taken over by curiousity, Anyuna hurried opened the package and took out a glass ball mounted on an ornate silver base. Inside, a small blob of a shimmering liquid was moving around, changing colour from a pearl-like pink to a deep blue as it morphed into all sorts of shapes.
"Cool huh? It's a morphix ball."
"It's beautiful." Anyuna gasped in amazement as it formed into the shape of a dolphin. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."
"And look at the bottom."
She did as she was told. A short message was etched on the bottom of the base
To my dear friend Anyuna.
If you're feeling down or lonely, remember your friends
And you'll remember that you'll never be alone.
Layla
"I don't know what to say, I really don't. I'm so lucky to have a friend like you."
"Well, you came through for me when I was feeling down. You were there with those kind words of yours when I needed it most."
"Just like you are now for me." Anyuna said as she set her present down next to the photo and gazed happily at them both.
"Yuni, I hate to change the subject but I gotta ask you - why did you kiss Teggy like that just now?"
Anyuna shook her head gently. "I don't know, I just didn't think. I just... saw him lying there so sad and ill-looking and I felt like I had to, you know, to try and make him feel better."
"Well it's lucky for you he was half-asleep from your Dream Dust. If he figures out how you really feel about him, you know it'll totally ruin your friendship with him, and maybe everyone else too."
"I know, don't remind me." she said, thumping her bed in frustration. "Argh! Why am I doing this to myself Layla? What am I gonna do?"
"I've already told you - you have to try and bury your feelings for him, for your own good."
"But I can't. It's too difficult." Anyuna cried. "Isn't there some sort of magic we could use?"
"Maybe there's something in the library. If we have some free time, we can go and look it up. I wouldn't get your hopes up though - I get the feeling that sort of thing isn't the sort of magic a fairy would use, if you know what I mean."
"How about Amore? Maybe she can help."
"I wouldn't have thought so. Her speciality is making people fall IN love, not out of it."
Anyuna buried her head in her hands and wept. "This is hopeless! I don't want to give up on him. I love him! I LOVE HIM!"
"Shh, keep your voice down will you? You don't want the whole school knowing about this, do you?"
Anyuna sniffed and breathed a heavy sigh. "You're right, as always. I've got to play this smart. I'm just glad I can share this with someone. Thank you."
Layla gave her young friend a comforting hug. "Don't worry Yuni, we'll get through this together, okay? You're not on your own. Say, you want me to crash here with you tonight?"
Anyuna smiled. "A sleepover? Heh, sounds cool... but, um, not tonight, okay? I think I want to be alone for now. Is that okay?"
"Course it is. Get some rest and hopefully you'll feel better in the morning. We're all gonna visit Teggy and Musa before classes tomorrow, so I'll see you then!" And with that, Layla slipped out of the room.
Anyuna went over to her window and stared sadly out at the moonlit courtyard, which still bore its massive scars from the earlier battle. She concentrated on one scar in particular which lead right up to the wall below her - it was the after-effects of Tegryn's attack on Kaiser. How typical - she was doing her best to put him out of her mind, and yet here's a permenant reminder of him right under her pretty little nose.
She sighed a deep, despairing sigh. Outside, everything was calm... but inside, the poor girl was in turmoil.