A puff of dust surrounded me, making me feel choked, as I tried with all my might to fight back the tears the brimmed the edges of my eyes. Sara looked back and we met eyes, sharing a mutual smile. "Take care of Emily!" she shouted, as she turned around and was then gone. Gone forever.

I looked down at Emily, Sara's doll. Her cheeks were nice and rosy, her hair golden and lush as a waterfall, falling in perfect spirals to her shoulder. He lips were nice and plump, and her small but beautiful eyes as blue as the sky. "I'll take care of you," I whispered, barely audible in her ear. "I promised Sara, you know…," I said, with a small smile. I could have sworn she smiled back.

Remember, whenever you hug Emily, you'll be hugging me. Sara's final words stung my ears, but I took them to heart. I hugged Emily, hoping and praying Sara could feel my hug. I then pulled away and looked at Emily…the last memory I had of Sara.

Tears once more blurred my vision as I felt a soft, gentle hand wrap around mine. "It's okay to cry, Lavinia," came Lottie's small, innocent, and naïve voice. "You can cry, you know…I cry all the time."

I looked up and managed a smile as the tears slipped out of my eyes, flowing down my cheek like a gentle stream. Lottie did cry a lot. Every day, in fact…every day until Sara came, at least…

Lottie tilted her head to the side, a baffled look taking over her face. She lifted up her finger, placed it against my cheek, and wiped the tears away. She pulled her finger away and put it right in front of her eyes, studying it.

Letting out a small laugh, and heard my voice falter and ask, "Lottie what are you doing?"

She shoved her fragile little finger right in front of my face and boomed with pride, "You're crying!"

I bit my lip and looked down, not knowing how to respond. I guess I didn't have to do anything though, because soon all of my friends were around me, hugging me tightly.

The tears started to flow harder as my voice cracked, "She's gone…"

"Lavinia," said Ermengarde, "We are all going to miss Sara…why, she was my best friend…," she drifted off. "But we'll make it through it," she continued, "I promise."

For a moment, we all just stood there, grateful for each other, thanking God above for the friendship we all had in one another.

"Girls!" came Miss Minchin's loud, piercing voice. I scrunched my nose in disgust. I absolutely hated Miss Minchin.

"Come girls," she came again, clapping her old, wrinkly, worn-away with time hands.

"Yes, Miss Minchin," all the girls replied unanimously, now doing so by rote. Unwillingly, we drug our feet to the door as all the other girls continued in but I stopped, taking one more look.

"Goodbye Sara Crewe," I said.

I stepped into the building, closed the door, inhaled a long, deep breath, and continued my life. I couldn't let my let the loss of my best friend Sara completely ruin my life…could I?