Layla

• Lara Huynh, Grade 6, Mt Waverley Heights Primary School
• Short Story
• 2021

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Note 2021' competition

Every day of the year I watched my little seed grow, how it thrived and withered away. I miss that little plant. It first started when mum bought me my first mini purplish succulent seed, the moment I got it I planted that seed, I loved and cared for it like it was a baby. I gave the succulent water and sunlight for three weeks until it sprouted. My little aloe vera plant ‘Layla’ finally sprouted. It was amazing.. Even though Layla had just sprouted it felt like an enormous achievement for me...
After a few more weeks of love for Layla she became no longer a sprout but a seedling, another great achievement for me but Layla took a rocky path. Since one of those weeks we had gone on vacation Layla had trouble adjusting to the warmer climate in Queensland but it was just a small setback. Layla looked adorable: her small-ish leaves from the bottom was a sage green fading into a soft lilac. Following the week of my vacation Layla flourished rapidly, it almost seemed like she was smiling at me constantly.
Layla helped me with a lot of things, mental health and friendship. Most of the time she was a better friend than my ‘companions’ at school. When I suffered from anxiety Layla helped me she was the light in my room, my only friend and the person I could talk to. Looking back it may have been silly talking to a plant but it really did help, it was nearly like Layla was listening to every word I said. She helped me realise that all you need to do is talk it out and think about the pros. When my friendship broke Layla was my only friend and kind of like an inspiration to me because while I was at school Layla sat there alone and had no friends except me but she always kept growing.
A few more weeks passed by and Layla was finally a full grown succulent and was beautiful. Layla’s leaves at the bottom were now a distinct juniper green and subtly faded into a purple mauve colour. Layla was truly gorgeous, I couldn’t ask for more from Layla at that moment. I just really hoped that Layla and I would be friends forever and she would never leave me but that didn’t happen.
It was the morning of December 30th that Layla died due to a spider mite infection (we later discovered) I absolutely broke. I mourned for months but then realised something Layla had taught me. “Pain is temporary and teaches us things. We have to learn from it.” And so I did. I bought a new succulent: Joe. He won’t replace Layla but he will help me kind of like Layla. I miss Layla every day of my life.
“Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong.” Winston Churchill.