"Where have you gone?" Lila looked out the window, lost in thought. The blazing sun lit her humble little classroom. It was the end of the school year, yet her friend Tara went missing a week prior. "Two peas in a pod, those two, always fooling around" comments her teacher. However, Lila's cheerful facade remained unbroken. She kept everyone going, always encouraging her schoolmates to do their best. If there was anyone to rely on, straight-A student Lila was there.

And who was the one who would catch her when she fell? Tara.

Few people knew Tara. Though reserved, Tara stood strong on her own. Anyone could find her eating or studying by herself in the courtyard. "Why make friends when I would end up alone in the end? I just wanna get out of this stupid town." That was until she met Lila. It was her that showed Tara the little tulips blooming behind the school, the leaping frogs hidden in rice fields, and how salty the nearby ocean tasted. "She showed me the world."

As the sun set, the moon rose. Lila gazed at the stars, reminiscing the times they had spent together. "How long will this take?" she thought. "Will you ever come back?" she yearned. "Why did you leave me?" she wept.

Before all hell broke loose, Lila closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A sudden gust of wind flew into her room. It was not harsh and cold, yet warm and inviting. Light as a feather she felt, floating in the air. Unrestrained by sight, she surrendered to her senses, allowing the gentle breeze to carry her away. Up into the clouds, she soared. The refreshing air brushed her ears, as the scent of rain tickled her nose. Amidst the skies, a familiar voice peeped out. "Lila, this way!" She followed with haste, reaching out ever so desperately.

"I held her hand tight, and I wasn't ever letting go."