Hidden Mysteries

Tensions Rise

September 8th

Oh my god, I'm so pissed off. My hand is shaking as I'm writing this, I'm that mad. Nickel's just...UGH!

I guess I should probably explain. I was getting dropped off back home by Balloon's mom Tea Kettle after I had stayed over at Balloon's for dinner. I had told Baseball and Knife that I was going this morning, but Nickel had left early so I couldn't tell him directly. He was home when I got back though, sitting at the kitchen table typing something on his laptop while Baseball was doing dishes.

"I'm home," I called out as I came in, heading over into the kitchen with the plastic container Tea Kettle had insisted I take home with me. "Tea Kettle gave me some of dinner to give to you guys."

"Oh, that's nice of her!" Baseball took the container from my hands. "I'll have to thank her the next time I see her. How was your day?"

"It was pretty good. Balloon showed me this card game he plays sometimes with his brother, it's kind of like Battle Monsters in a way. It's pretty cool."

I heard Nickel mumble something under his breath, scowling. I internally groaned, getting the feeling a lecture was incoming, as always.

"What?" I turned to Nickel, deciding the best thing to do would be to just get it over with. No use delaying the inevitable.

"Nothing, it's just...you've been hanging out with this Balloon kid a lot, haven't you?"

I smelt a rat.

"Yeah," I said slowly. "He's my friend."

"I get that, but...is he a friend?"

I didn't like this. "What?"

Nickel took a deep breath. "I'm just saying, I haven't met this kid, and Baseball's only met him, what, one time? We just don't know him yet, y'know?"

"So because you don't know him like I do means you can judge him based on your assumptions?" I knew I was being pretty snippy, but I didn't care. Anger was beginning to roar inside of my short and small body, boiling and festering in a way that I had never felt before in my twelve and a half years of life.

"I'm not judging him yet!" That comment earned him a look from Baseball before he continued. "I just think...maybe you shouldn't spend so much time around him until—"

"What?! You want me to just stop hanging out with Balloon? Just like that?" The sudden change in the tone and volume of my voice didn't necessarily shock Baseball, but he did take a few steps back in surprise. "I finally make a friend of my very own and you're not even giving him a chance!"

Baseball clears his throat. "I mean, Nickel has a point. We haven't really...gotten to know Balloon, I mean I've—"

"You're siding with Nickel? Are you kidding me!" My hands are fists, angry tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. "You're the one who keeps telling me I need to make some friends and now you're saying I should abandon the first and only one I have!"

"Suitcase, please, just—"

"NO!" The scream that escapes my mouth shocks even me, but it doesn't show at all on my face. "I don't want to hear it. Not from you, or Nickel, or anyone else!" I turn on my heel and storm up to my room, slamming the door with a force that probably could have torn it off its hinges.

And now cut to, well, now. I still can't believe Nickel, I refuse to. He doesn't know Balloon, nothing like I do. He probably thinks Balloon can't be trusted, doesn't he? I know me and Nickel don't always see eye to eye, but right now, I just wanna storm up to Nickel, look him dead in the eyes and

[The entry is cut off suddenly midsentence.]