That day, I woke up at 7:30 am. My mother was calling me to get ready for school because I was getting late. I quickly ate my breakfast, dressed up and off I went.

It was a normal day at school. I usually walked on my way back home from school because it was not far. While walking, I felt someone behind me, I turned to see who it was, but there wasn’t anyone. I kept walking so when I turned to my street, I noticed an unusual silence with no one around.

Suddenly, something popped out in front of me. It was a cute pink and green koala like bear saying, “Cheese please!”

I screamed and thought maybe some kid is wearing a costume to scare me off. I shook it away and started walking again. But the little cute bear-cum-monster starting hopping behind me, all the while saying, “Cheese please! Cheese please!”

I turned and it stood straight, too. I tried to take its costume away but it didn’t come off, instead the monster cried, “Stop! You are hurting me, I am real!”

I became puzzled, wondering if I was dreaming? I pinched my palm and realised it was reality indeed and not my imagination.

Then the monster said, “Please, don’t be scared, I am just a friendly monster.”

I asked him what his name was and what he wanted from me? He told me that his name was Cheesy, that he was harmless and all he wanted was to eat cheese. He really seemed friendly, so I took him home secretly and kept him in my room, where I fed him cheese every day. Little did my family know that I had a cheesy pet.

But one day when I was in school and had left Cheesy in my closet, my sister came in my room to put something in the closet. Thus, she found out about this cute pink and green monster.

When I returned home, I heard some playful noises coming from my room. And as I opened the door, I was shocked to see my sister playing with Cheesy.

“Awe, isn’t Cheesy so sweet?” she said to me. Later, I had to tell her everything about my meeting with Cheesy and she listened to me keenly. I also asked her to keep it a secret, but unexpected things happen.

The next day, as usual, when I was in school my mum came to clean my room. She screamed when she saw something hiding below the bed. I returned home to find my mum smiling in the kitchen. And what did I see? Behind her was my friend, Cheesy.

I do not remember if my mouth was half or wide open, but I was surprised to hear mum say, “Yes, I know what you are thinking!”

Then I closed my mouth and my mother said that Cheesy will now stay with the family because he was so cute and friendly.

Friends, I learned a big lesson that day, that it is not good to hide things from your family. They will always find out the truth and you will end up being totally embarrassed. So, I promised my mum and dad that I will never hide anything from them again.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 26th, 2016