[ Crush Culture. ] 🐞 [ A Nickloon Story ]

[ Two: Almost Most Completely ]

BALLOON POV

The couch is soft and firm, and supports me fine. It's comfy, but unfortunately, I couldn't feel it too well— being rather lightweight. Life just ain't fair to me or Paper. A shame. Nickel is across the room treating himself to the snack table, I hope I picked good snacks, I guess! 

After season two of the show, I've been thinking. Nickel always said the way he treated me wasn't personal, but I know after what I did in season one it probably was. I've been trying to make things right ever since I was sent back to the hotel, but... it just won't work with Nickel. 

I've fixed things with everyone else, but... not Nickel.

But after tonight, I really, really, really want us to be friends! So my top priority at this party is to get on good terms with Nickel. So I stocked up the snack table with his favorite stuff, and I put anti-arm-accessible  little helps everywhere!... But he isn't using them, he's just climbing the snack table, and eating chips judgmentally.

Now is as good as a time as any to go talk to him. 

I stroll over to him, to try and go start a conversation or something. But he doesn't seem to look over.

"Hi, Nickel!"

He turns, staring at me like I'm absolutely insane. Wacky, one might say. As if I'm losing my mind, my marbles, my bananas. Falling off my rocker, so to speak...

"Hi." He says in his gravelly voice, awkward as ever. "Do you... like cars?" I ask, even more awkwardly. He stares at me again, and then laughs. "Oh, I adore cars, you have any more totally great conversation starters?!" 

I crack a smile, not finding it all that funny but really wanting to get on his good side. "Haha..." 

He can sense that he's made this situation awkward, and it obviously amused him. "So. Why'd you even invite me here?" He asked, taking a sip of some coca cola.

"I just wanted you to come to the party..." I mumbled. He looks up at me and snickers. "You call this a party? Seriously, Balloon? I mean... you turned on some L.E.D lights, put a couple snacks on the table and invited, like, two people over... not really a party."

"Well I think it's fun..." I mumbled. "So... uh, I asked a question?" Nickel said, blinking. He tapped his foot a bit.

"Oh- what was it?"

"Why did you invite me?"

We stared at each other for a second. "I mean..." I sweat. "I just wanted us to... know each other!" 

"But-... I thought you, like, hated my guts." Nickel looked at me tiredly. Alarmed, I shook my head, jumping up on my tippy toes. 

"No! Of course not! I mean... it wasn't personal. Sure, it made me a little sad... but it's never gonna go away if we don't try to make things right!"

He stared at me for a second. "Is that what you think?..." 

"Of course, Nickel!"

[ ... ] 

A moment of silence struck the room. "Psssh... yeah. Whatever." He broke the silence. "You say that like you have any better ideas!" I spat back at him, and he giggled again. "Of course I do! Obviously! ANYTHING is better than talking to you!" He teased.

[ ... ] 

After what felt like an hour, we stopped rambling on at each other. I took a glance at the clock and quickly realized: "Oh. It's, like, eight." 

His face went red. "I talked to you for that long?! That's it, I'm leaving. And I'm taking the pota— the papato-..." He stared at his feet. "The p... p something-" 

"Potato?-..." 

"Yeah, I forgot the word."

Suitcase stared at Nickel intently as he stomped out of the door, taking the potato chips with him. The door swung shut, grinding to a halt, as I waved goodbye and sunk to the floor. "Oh my God."

"Yeah, he's... a lot." Suitcase mumbled, hopping up off of the couch.

"Ghbsbddrrrr..." I screamed in to the carpet, stressed.

Suitcase sighed. "Are you... okay, Balloon?" She stared, looking a little worried for me. I sighed, rolling myself over on to the carpet. "Did he say something to you?..." Suitcase mumbled. 

I sat up. "We just- talked for so long, why does it feel like he still... hates me?" 

Suitcase frowned. "He doesn't hate you. It's not personal..." 

"But it is!" I retorted, standing up. "After the season ended, it has  been personal... why hasn't he apologized?! I thought we got along now, I thought we were friends- but he just TOOK OFF! Just like that, he-..." My speech trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Suitcase frowned, walking over to where I stood. She put her hand on my shoulder, and sighed. "I-... Hey. It'll be okay, just give him... time. You wanna watch some TV?"

"...Sure."

[[ This was a really short chapter, but I promise I have lotsa plans for the next chapter!! Cya then! ]]