Friendship

- So my beauty, where exactly are we going?

- I just told you Melly.

Her two best friends Mellira and Isel were seated in front of her, in a trendy and boldly colored youth restaurant, where they were serving different dishes, not very nutritious, but much appreciated. As on this day, three glasses of ice cream were placed in front of the bright trio.

The two friends looked at each other wryly and turned to Avine. Isel shook her head.

- Avine, you can probably fool a lot of people, your father for example, whom anyone could fool, your brother who is always studious and intelligent, but so careless, and even your mother who runs the Kolod planetary organization for the protection of rare beings with an iron fist. But you could never fool us. We are your two best friends.

Isobel, the one with whom Mellira and Avine formed an inseparable trio, was petite and simply adorable with her long, thin hair, wearing a butterfly headdress, and framing a heart-shaped, tan-skinned face with large amber eyes. She mostly wore clothes made for dolls and stuffed animals, and ordered them in her size, which, moreover, distinguished her from the others and suited her perfectly, which did not spoil anything. On this day, her toilet consisted of a short green balloon dress with white stripes, with a high-heeled ballerina and sandy silk stockings. Her slender wrists wore various bracelets from a novelty collection.

- And we know perfectly well that Moriova is not your real destination. The latter concluded calmly, sipping her bubble juice.

Panicked, Avine immediately put herself on the defensive.

- Of course it is. We will go there and I even bought our tickets already.

Avine brought up a light board, clicked a few buttons, and presented it to her two friends.

- Unbelievable", the duo exclaimed in chorus when they could verify the truth of their friend's words.

- But then... Listen to us Avine, without wanting to offend you, I feel that Moriova is not quite your type.

- What? Why?" asked the blonde, stunned and furious.

- Let's see where to start. Her two friends began, fingers supporting their beautiful faces, pretending to think. First, their lights are so strong and moving that they are almost bearable. Thousands of entertainments, whose exaggerated number, would immediately make you dizzy and want to return to your stable and uncomplicated existence. Many people running around so much that you will feel tired just looking at them.

- Not to mention the noise and the colors. Melly concluded, her face falsely serious.

Isobel winked ironically.

- And finally, the various magics that circulated in the air to support such an effervescence. So, in conclusion, you seem a little too fragile to handle these things created by our kind.

Avine listened silently, biting her lip furiously.

- Look, I may look like a porcelain doll, but I'm not, okay? So stop it. I like fun as much as any normal girl, you witches. And I can already see the two of you running around madly like those unknown people you just described with such disdain, not to miss anything this famous planet has to offer.

Mellira and Isel were so surprised by their friend's vehemence that they could not think of anything to say.

- Avine... what's going on? they finally asked, seriously worried this time. We really feel like you're hiding something from us.

Avine sighed and leaned back against her saucer-shaped seat. She might as well tell her two best friends the truth, because they deserved to be told, and she knew them well enough to know that they would be sympathetic to her choice.

- Yes, you are both right. So began the young magician. As usual! I am transparent to you. We're going to Moriova, but I won't be there for long.

The two friends looked at each other again, deeply perplexed.

- What do you mean by that, my beauty?

Avine dipped the spoon into her merlot ice cream, as brown as her shiny silk dress, the top was tied with silver threads, skillfully disordered, and as dark as her suede pumps that shod her feet with class.

- You see, there's a place I want to visit. A place that someone very dear to me told me about.

Isel looked at her and saw a tormented expression on her friend's face.

- Who was this loved one, beauty? Someone we know?

Avine smiled.

- I can't talk about it, unfortunately. Because you must understand that it is a secret that does not belong to me. And it probably never will be.

- Avine... what are you...

- I'm going to Venezia.

Upon hearing this, her two friends immediately jumped up, holding their hands to their hearts in fright and utter bewilderment. After a few seconds of absolute silence, Isel finally recovered enough to ask.

- Where do you intend to go?

- You both heard me correctly. Avine replied nervously.

- Yes, unfortunately then.

- But why?" asked Mellira, pulling herself together.

Avine smiled.

- Because I want to. Or to be more honest with myself, I have to.

Both girls realized immediately that when their friend had that expression, there was no way to make her talk. They sighed, already knowing what they were going to do. Avine must have realized this too, forgetting that her friends were as stubborn as she was.

- So we're coming with you. Isel announced, determined.

Avine opened her eyes wide.

- What?

- It's your turn to listen to Avine. We're coming with you.

- As if we're going to let you go on an adventure by yourself. Mellira added as she finished her cup. You should know us better by now.

- But girls... ! It's...

Isel raised her delicate little hand manicured with gold leaf nails.

- Don't even try to stop us from doing what we want, as we can't do it for you. We're going with you, that's all.

- And by the way, after we find in Venezia what you so desperately want to find, we'll go to Moriova, so we can perfectly say that you didn't really lie to your mother.

- Or simply, your terrible guilt would be less heavy to bear.

- We will send her pictures every minute.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Avine took her friends' hands and clasped them tightly in her own.

- You girls are the best friends anyone could ever ask for.

They smiled tenderly at each other.

- Of course, you should never doubt it.

Avine was still surprised by her two friends' perfect understanding of her real feelings. They could easily guess her deep sorrow at having had to lie to her beloved mother, and the fact that something since that day had changed irrevocably, for better or for worse.

- But what about your family?" Avine asked hesitantly.

Mellira laughed knowingly.

- Oh you know, I already know the perfect way to get my mother to concede whatever I want.