Sleeping out in the forest wasn't as bad as I had thought. The grass out here was surprisingly comfortable, and the dirt barely even got on me. Only bad part was having to sleep outside in the middle of Winter. At least it didn't snow tonight.
I got up from my log pillow and saw that Taco was nowhere to be found. Must be out doing something important. Or she just didn't want to get caught sleeping. I'll put my nonexistant bets on that.
The cold air made me shiver as I tightened my scarf and began to make my way back to Hotel OJ. Then I realized I forgot which way I came from. I looked around for some kind of landmark to remember, then felt something under my feet. I reached down to pick it up. It was a nap of the forest. I held it up and saw that Taco's campsite was pretty far from the hotel. I saw that weird mansion on the map, too. Scribbles of Bow, Dough, Marshmallow, and Apple were on it. 'So that's where they went,' I thought.
Looks like I was going east to get back. I checked the time, and then the sun. It was 5:30 AM. Perfect. I saw the sun to my right, and ran in it's direction.
It took a while to get back. This campsite is closer to the shore of the island than the hotel. Well, makes her less likely to get caught. That made me think of what could have happened if the season one finale was just a little different. Taco could have won, she wasn't actually an evil mastermind, it was a tie. Any of those could have happened, and she wouldn't have been an outcast. Probably only the second one. Ever since she ran off, Pickle's been extremely distant from everyone. Everyone except Knife, oddly. Most of us think they have a thing for eachother, but they keep saying otherwise. We haven't really bought it since Salt and Pepper saw them on a date at Fozali's. Well, I'm happy that he has someone. I've been lacking that special someone for a long time. I know it's not Soap, definitely not Taco, so who could that someone be? As my mind ran wild trying to think of everyone who had a chance of bot actually hating me, I made it back out of the Perilous Forest. Most of the lights were still off. I saw that the one in mine and Cheesy's room was on. He must have been worried about me. I am his roommate, after all.
As I opened the front doors, I saw that everyone was in a panic. Some were running around, others were screaming. I think a few of them were even crying. Meanwhile, OJ was trying to get everyone calmed down while Paper was having a panic attack on the floor. As soon as I walked in, everyone ran towards me.
"What'd you do to him?!"
"Where were you?!"
"I bet you did it!"
They were all yelling at me, almost knocking me over. I couldn't take this much stress. Sure, people have screamed in my face before, but not this much. Or this many people.
"What the hell are you even talking about?!" I yelled loud enough for everyone to hear over the chaos. OJ walked up to me, pushing everyone out of the way.
"Well, MePhone's gone missing." He explained.
"So has the Pic-Nix Table."
After MePhone had finished up Season 3, he moved that table and all the new objects here. I'm surprised that there were enough rooms for all of them. The new ones were all weird in their own way. Blueberry reminded me of Salt during season one while her and Pepper were separated. Candle was...odd, to say the least. Blueberry was just depressed, Tea Kettle was kind of annoying, but not really bad, Life Ring was okay, Silver Spoon was kind of what I would imagine if everyone's worst qualities were mixed into one object, The Floor was just downright creepy, and just about everyone had liked Clover. I don't really know why. Guess it's her amazing luck. I heard that just about everyone had a thing for her, and I gotta say, her charm is too hard for me to resist. Not like she'd like me back though.
Looks like my arrival had calmed everyone down a little.
"Still, were were you?" OJ asked.
"I was just out on a walk. Forgot to check the time. Geez."
That got him off me. He sighed like he didn't believe me, but he had nothing else to believe. Paper had stopped being a crying, soggy mess and went to his and OJ's room. Now they definitely were together. Not even they denied it. Everyone else either went back to their room or stayed in the main room. I decided to see why Cheesy wasn't panicking. The stairs felt slippery. Must have been my time outside. As I walked to my door, I saw that it was locked. I knocked. No answer. I kept knocking. Still nothing. Eventually, I reached through the mail slot and unlocked the door out of frustration. Good thing my arms were long enough to do that. I opened the door, and saw something I wasn't expecting. Cheesy was bawling his eyes out on his bed. He turned to see me, and his sorrow immediately became happiness.
"Trophy!" he excitedly said as he ran towards me, arms outstretched. Once he reached me, he was...hugging me? No one did that since my mom was still alive. I just stood there awkwardly as Cheesy hugged me from below. When he let go, I decided to talk to him without threatening him for once.
"Cheesy, what the heck?"
"I'm just happy that you're back! I was worried!"
"Why would you out of all objects worry about me? I constantly threaten you!"
"Well, roommates gotta take care of eachother!"
I guess his weird brain thought that was reason enough to hug me. Not wanting to push away the affection I've been starved of for so long, I didn't get mad at him.
"Okay then..."
"But still, I thought everyone hated me!"
"Well, I don't! Your nagging only makes my shows more fun! Sad that you couldn't make that last one...it eas great! You should've seen it! Test Tube got a pie thrown at her!"
Cheesy kept rambling about how amazing his show was as we both went to sit on out beds. I was happy to know that someone didn't hate my guts.
So, Cheesy talked, and I listened. I finally had someone I could just talk to. Someone I felt like I didn't have to act in front of. Someone I could she my real self to. So there, I stopped acting. I stopped being the annoying jock everyone thought I was. I just sat there, smiling, as Cheesy talked to me. I finally felt happy.
"Hey, Cheesy."
"Yeah?"
"This is kinda hard for me to say. Please don't tell anyone else. Not even through your jokes."
"What, you in love with me or somethin?"
"What? No. It's just that...I'm not really who you think I am. I don't actually hate your jokes. I'm tired of being g the jock everyone sees me as. I'm no jock. I'm not tough, and I'm not mean either. I don't want to keep acting like I am. You're the first one I'm telling this to. So please, let's keep this between us."
Cheesy just sat there, processing what I had just said. I was about at tears. He got up and walked to me.
"You...really don't hate my jokes?" He asked.
"Really."
Then his mouth curled into a huge smile. I knew what was coming. I covered his mouth before he could scream. Then he jumped around, excited.
"You really are soft! I knew it!" He said as he ran around the room.
"Calm down, you're gonna get everyone mad at us again!"
He listened to me and went back to his bed.
"One more question."
"Yeah?"
"Do you actually love me?"
"I...I don't know. Well, you've just become my first actual friend, but I don't know anything about love. I mean, it could be anyone here for me! God, it could even be Blueberry! I have no idea!"
"Well, looks like I'm gonna be your dating counselor, or whatever it's called."
"Cheesy, I'm not really interested in love right now anyways. I need a nap."
"Okay. Just tell me when you wanna start looking for that special someone!" He said as he walked out.
"Also, dont forget your keys next time you go out!"
Cheesy tossed me my keys as the door closed, leaving me alone. I just layed down, happy I was starting to really be me. But I never really would be, as long as I was working with Taco. She was probably the one who took MePhone and the Pic-Nix Table.
I went to sleep as thoughts of being my real self everywhere flower through my head, as well as what Taco was doing. I didn't even realize my scarf was still on. I didn't care. It was warm. Warm like the love I needed in my life. Then sleep took over.