How Bad Could You Really Be?

My unexpected confession; his success.

The next morning I woke to the smell of breakfast. I woke up on Oncie's bed; I sat up rubbing my eyes. The window was open allowing a fresh morning breeze in the room. A plate of pancakes was thrust into my lap.

"Good morning, sleepy," Onceler grinned.

"Ah, morning," I yawned, "breakfast already?"

"I promised I'd make pancakes."

He kissed my forehead before walking off. My mind floated back to our kiss last night. It felt like a dream. How had I even ended up in his bed?

"Oncie?" I asked before shoveling pancakes into my mouth, "Where did you sleep last night?"

"Next to you. Don't you remember?"

I choked on the food in my mouth. Somehow I managed to force the food down my throat. He handed me glass of orange juice. With a large gulp of the drink I caught him laughing.

"You're a riot," I said sarcastically.

"I slept on the floor," he said pointing the pan at the sleeping bag.

"You shouldn't have. I coulda slept..."

"No way! It's not much of a comfy bed, but you're a guest here."

"A guest you almost killed with that comment," I muttered.

"I gave you a glass of juice, didn't I?"

"Yeah, thanks."

I finished the pancakes and took the plate over to him. He looked over with more pancakes ready. After washing my plate in the sink I looked around for my clothes I brought with me. Onceler had hung them outside to dry. He must have been up for awhile. After giving some pancakes to the lorax and the animals he grabbed my clothes.

"Here ya go," he said, "I'll be outside when you're ready."

The door shut behind him. I pulled the window down as I changed quickly. It was a warm day outside. The ground was wet from the storm the night before. My bare feet savored the coolness of the grass. Oncie was sitting on a blanket working on something. When I got to him I saw he had some new tufts with him.

"Don't worry," he beamed proudly, "I had some help getting these tufts."

"Yeah, don't worry, we helped," the lorax said.

"You've been quite busy this morning, haven't you?" I asked.

"Just making something special for you."

"Oh? What for?"

"Just because."

"Hey Skye, I need to talk to ya, kid," the lorax said.

I tussled Oncie's hair before walking to the lorax. We walked to the bridge that crossed the river. It wasn't very far away, but it was far enough that Oncie couldn't hear us. I leaned over the railing. The lorax jumped up and sat next to me.

"Beanpole filled me in, I didn't realize..." he started.

"You," I sighed, "I didn't even know. I wish I didn't know."

"I'm sorry."

"Do you want to know how it happened?" he asked.

"You were there?!" I shouted.

Oncie looked over as I dropped my voice. My face forced a smile to Oncie. Both of my hands grasped my hair as I leaned back on the railing. And here I woke up in such a good mood. The lorax patted my shoulder. I shrugged him off of me.

"It's not what you think," he said, "I was there, but she had begged him to stop hurting this forest. She loved this place. But I know you've seen the same thing in him."