The Ugly Truth

(Lou x Nolan) The Deal:

The Ugly Truth

LOU's POV:

I stood there in shock and stared at the strange doll run away. I envied the stranger more than anything on Earth. How can someone have such weird features but be treated with such pity and kindness unlike someone like me, a stunning figure born ready to perform, teach or entertain. I looked at the handkerchief again. "What a strange individual.." I inhaled a sharp breath. "It doesn't matter. He's left like the rest of them, get over his kindness." I turned away and started to head to the supply shed. I didn't want to admit he was right, but he was right. What if someone really did attack me or my house? What would I do then? Everyone had left me alone so I had no one to turn to for help. By the time I finished panicking, I had unexpectedly reached the doors of the shed. I shuddered at the thought of being in the same place those monsters were not too long ago. "Only a few nights, Lou.. Just to be safe.." I whispered to myself and dramatically pulled the doors open. It was a pigsty inside. I don't know how I managed to convince myself to stay the first night but I did. I took the blue fabric out of my jacket pocket and began to unfold it so I could place it on the pillow to sleep on when a piece of paper fell out. "What..? What is that?" I rhetorically asked. I crouched down and picked it up revealing a sequence of numbers. "Did he give me his number? Smooth Noah- I mean Nolan." I stumbled over my words. None of the girls gave me their number. This was only for safety purposes, right? It didn't feel like it. I was overreacting. Nothing to worry about, so why does looking at the handkerchief and the numbers make me feel butterflies? I'd call him tomorrow. No, call him now. Ask if he's safe, return the kindness. He doesn't deserve it, he's a freak! No, no, NO! Shut up! Just shut up! My thoughts were strangling me, I could barely breathe. My heart was racing and I began to sweat. "Just rest on it and then ask if he's alright.. he's probably sleeping now anyway." I reassured myself. Why was I worried anyway? I placed myself down on the bunk bed and positioned my bed onto the handkerchief pillow. My eyes fluttered restlessly. I wondered if I would ever get to sleep.

THIRD PERSON POV:

Lou woke up early in the morning like usual ready to start a new day of training for the next set of individuals. Type 13. His neck and back ached from the new scenery. Lou stretched, grabbed the handkerchief and paper and left. The day was bright and sunny. The birds who usually sung for him were no where near. "Typical. Even the animals left for a town of living trash." Lou scoffed. As he reached the gateway to welcome the new individuals, he noticed no one was there. He stared in disbelief. Out of anger, he ran to the gate and smashed it open. The slide had been rearranged with colours of all sorts heading in the opposite direction of the foam pit. "What is going on..? Nolan would know what to do.. Noah.. NoLAN! He knows what's going on down there! I can contact him! ...I really need to learn his name.." Lou sprung back to life and dialled the mystery number. It rung once.
It rung twice. It rung a third time. Suddenly, Lou heard a click and Nolan's voice.
"Hello, this is Nolan speaking! Sorry I couldn't get to the phone. I'm probably busy or learning something new with Lou! He's a great teacher." Lou chuckled. "If you want to contact me, please leave a voicemail and I will get to you as soon as I possibly can!" The phone beeped and the recording began.
"Err.. uh. Hi, this is erm.. Lou. Uh. I'm not sure why you left your number but I have important information I need to ask of you. I need you to come back ASAP. And if you don't.. Well, you don't want to know what happens next.." Lou's ominous voice echoed into the empty space and he slammed the case on his phone shut.

NOLAN's POV:

When the third song of the day finally ended, I was exhausted. I don't understand how these other dolls have such high energy. I mean, it's entertaining but it's nothing compared to the one performance I saw Lou do. Where are the fireworks? Where are the lights? Where is getting the forgotten dolls involved? I think I preferred my other life although it was filled with lies and hate. I have only been here for what? A day now? I can't be that judgmental yet. That would make me as bad as everyone else. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard my phone ringtone go off. God, I love my ringtone. It's that one song, The Difference by Nick Jonas. I let the phone ring because it was an unknown number, what else was I meant to do? Who else would be calling me? Suddenly, the notification for a voicemail came up and I listened intently.
"Err.. uh. Hi, this is erm.. Lou. Uh. I'm not sure why you left your number but I have important information I need to ask of you. I need you to come back ASAP. And if you don't.. Well, you don't want to know what happens next.."
What the doll?!
"Is that a threat, Lou? 'Cause if it is, I feel really threatened." I rolled my eyes. I began to walk down the painted stairs where Moxy was and saw the exit right in front of me.
"Hey, Nolan! Where you heading off to?" Moxy cheered. I froze with no excuse in mind.
"Err.. I forgot something in the Institute Of Perfection. I wanna go and get it. It's really special to me." I lied.
"Alright, well don't be long! I can sense another song coming on!" Moxy laughed.
Her cheerful personality was contagious, I couldn't help but smile.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Moxy." I turned towards the dark tunnel and didn't turn back.

LOU's POV:

Y'know, I truly believed this whole.. acting strong and threatening thing was going to work. I completely forgot what I was going to ask. He probably wasn't going to come after what I did to him, what was the point? I ask myself too many questions.
"Why did I think this was a good idea?" I facepalmed. I didn't think this through, then I heard his voice.
"Think what was a good idea? The threat?" Nolan scoffed as he jumped out of the tunnel. I jumped a mile.
"Nolan! You actually came..?" I moved into some kind of karate pose out of reflex and fear.
"I mean, yeah? I didn't want to find out what that little threat was about." Nolan giggled. What was he.. oh. The 'threat'.

"Yeah, uhh.. forget about that. That doesn't matter right now." My voice changed into that soft, sinister tone it usually does when I want something from someone. "Where does that rainbow slide lead? Ugly ville?"
"The slide leads to the Institute Of Imperfection. Type 13 just arrived this morning actually. Sorry you couldn't meet them. Moxy and the rest of the-" Nolan was quickly cut off by my.. awesomeness.
"The rest of the sock puppets." I smirked, looked down on him and put my hands behind my back.
"I wouldn't call them that. They're actually really nice to us and they teach us things like getting messy from time to time is okay because kids enjoy not being perfect." Nolan smiled innocently. Something boiled inside of me. It just.. clicked. It felt right. A sort of.. anger.
"And how do you know? You've only stayed there for a day! I don't understand why I thought you could help me, you're too innocent to understand anything! You're too naïve!" I yelled into his face. I'm not sure what happened but a whimper escaped his throat and water began to fill up in his eyes and tumble out. Something different took over the anger. It felt like pain but it wasn't. Whatever this pain was, it made me want to hold him and cry with him. It almost seemed like a mother instinct but it wasn't. What was it for dolls sake?! I crouched down on one knee and took the handkerchief out to wipe away his tears. Only then, I was close enough to see all his little imperfections. His freckles covering his cheeks and nose, his glowing purple and green eyes. So many unique things. And what did I have? Blonde hair, average height, normal white boy skin that girls swoon over, blue eyes? Why did I have to be made so perfect in such a bland and boring way. I sighed. The awkward silence was filled by the doll's sobbing.
"I'm.." I hesitated. "I'm sorry, NolAN. I don't know what I was thinking. You're still useful to me though. I need you to fetch the spy girls or in other words, Kitty, Tuesday and Lydia." I attempted to smile.
"So, I'm just something that's useful for awhile and you're just going to throw me away after? You're just going to leave me like that?" Nolan grabbed onto my hand with the handkerchief and squeezed it tightly. Whew. He must have some kind of power or something because this made me feel like my heart was tightening on me.
"How about this? You fetch the girls and I get you ice cream after. Only the best in the Institute Of Perfection, Nolan. A one time offer." I stood back up and shrugged playfully. He seemed to like this offer.
"Deal." He stretched his arm out just like he did before.
"Deal." I repeated and took his hand in mine, shaking it. I could make him do whatever I wanted. This was too easy.