Happy Place//Chapter Three

Instructions

slight slumberparty and moonshell warning <//3 if u don't like GET OUT- /j ----------------- Astro 8:30 pm ---------------------- I lay on the mattress we were lucky to have, staring at the ceiling. Particularly the ventilation. I felt a slight dip in the mattress. "Still looking for her?" A cold voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned, surprised. Shelly was sitting on the mattress now, her face irritated, but her eyes hurt. "Who?" I asked, trying to pretend I didn't know what she meant. She narrowed her eyes and adjusted her bag. "You know who I'm talking about." Shelly snapped. "A certain piñata." I looked down at my feet, embarrassed she knew me that well. "She's our news reporter," I finally managed to choke out after a couple of moments of painful silence. "Not more." Shelly paused and leaned back against the wall, all sharpness forgotten. "You say that," she said softly, "but the way you look at her sometimes- Astro- I would wish you'd look at me like that." I blinked, blinked again, then turned away. Huh. I don't think anything will ever stay the same, will it? After a while, Shelly got up from the mattress and headed over to where Bassie, Gourdy, and Sprout were sitting, and I let out a breath. ... I never knew she felt that way. I thought we were just friends. Suddenly- *CLANK! CLAAANNNKKK!!* I looked up and saw a pink tail waving merrily at me. 'Yatta,' I thought with relief, then waved the others over. Sure enough, Yatta somersaulted down from the vents- which I personally found dangerous- but she landed safely. I started clapping, but one glare from Shelly quieted me. "GREETINGS!" She exclaimed. "How are you guys doing?" "Great," Shelly muttered. "We're isolated from our friends, trapped in a cold, dark room, and we're doing just peachy." Yatta nudged her. "Cheer up!" She told her, "Because I'm sure the news I bring will make you guys HAPPY!" Now, as much as I adore Yatta, whenever she told us Eclipse was taken, she said the same thing. Sigh. Will this piñata ever be serious? "ANYWAY," She yelled, hoping to get our attention again. She shared some random things with us before she really spilled the tea: "Oh, and Vee's missing just before Cocoa's trial." "WHAT?" Shelly's eyes were popping out of her head. "COCOA'S TRIAL?! YOU NEVER TOLD US ABOUT THAT!!!" "A trial..." Bassie murmured, her eyes zoning out. "I guess even she's not perfect." "But where's Vee?" I fretted. Shelly glared at me again. "I can't believe Cosmo would do something like that." Sprout sighed, rubbing his forehead. Even little Gourdy had questions. "Is Toodles okay? And Mr. Novelite is right, where IS Ms. Version One?" He asked, his claws twitching nervously. A yelp suddenly echoed. "Speak of Delilah. Well, I guess we got our answer," Bassie said sarcastically. We watched the door and, miraculously, heard it unlock. Vee suddenly got thrown through the door with a laugh and Christmas bells jingling in the background, but her vest and clothing were all torn up. Shelly drew back with a hiss, Sprout growled under his breath, and I just turned away, unable to look at the toon who ruined our lives. Vee looked up groggily, turned towards the door, and sighed. "Please," She pleaded, "you all have a good reason to hate me, but please just hear me out. You might be the only ones who can help me." "You certainly didn't help US by trapping us," I told her. "That doesn't matter. The question is, hear you out on what?" Shelly snapped. Vee slowly got up, dusting her clothing, and looked directly into my eyes. "Everything."