Wannabe (Inanimate Insanity Fanfiction)

If You Want my Future, Forget my Past

"Okay, Pepper. It's just one day. It's the same as any other day."

It's a blank-faced lie, and Pepper knows it. It could be the most important day of her life, like any day could be... and, as usual, she knows it so well it hurts.

She takes a deep breath.

'Okay, so, like, an itinerary. Whatever Salty-Salt wants, I'm prepared for it. We could go to a concert, or go on a walk, or a picnic. It'd be all Salt's choice, of course. And then, at the right moment... Bam. I might confess.'

It's like any other day in that it's special. It's not like she ever looks in the mirror and tells herself she won't confess the way her heart races.

'Of course, maybe it's because, I figured she knew for such a long time. Then she went and picked him, and... ugh.'

Is it really a lie or not? ...Ugh.

She leaves the hotel bathroom and looks around the hotel lobby. Bomb is playing video games against Pickle and winning, the Cherries and Cheesy are huddled together in a corner, and Yin-Yang is shouting while cleaning snot.

It's certainly looking like a special day.

"Oh hey! Pepper! You should, like, join me in the tub, darling!" Water swirls around Salt and runs down her glass sides, catching off the light above them. Pepper stares for a second, then climbs in beside her. Salt leans back and sighs. "Mmmh, how was your day? My day was great, OJ looked at me~"

'Not HIM again.' Pepper bites down the insult that comes to mind and says, "Oh, you'd like to know. The day's young, but I think today's a day to leave the hotel and get a change of scenery.

"Oh... I'd rather stay here... I see OJ over there and I think this is a nice scenery..." Salt locks her hands together and smiles sweetly, staring. "He's so cute... What do you think, Peppy?"

"He's okay, but he's also boring and ugly."

Salt rolls her eyes. "Oh, you're just jealous. See, he's absolutely perfect... and I'm going to marry him one day."

"No you're not," OJ deadpans as he passes.

"Aw, he's in denial, isn't that cute?"

'How doesn't she see it? It's obvious he doesn't care! ...Sheesh, how'd she react if she knew? It'd either crush her or she wouldn't care; there's no, like, in between.'

'That's a coin toss from heck.' Pepper instead thinks of a different response: "Well, maybe you should try to pretend-date someone else to make him jealous, prove that you're girlfriend material." 'Or fall in love with your fake boyfriend, IE me.'

"...Pfft, that's so cliche, Pepper. I already know he likes me, why would I go and do a thing like that?"

'It was worth a shot.'

Salt waves at OJ, who completely ignores her. Salt blushes.

Pepper considers pushing the issue and hoping for the best, but opts not to.

"Fine. Good luck with your... 'boyfriend'." She enclosed it in air-quotes.

"Are we going to have a problem here?" Salt snarls.

"Uh, no! Not if you don't make a problem! I've never even been on a date, so, like, take what I say with a grain of salt." She flicks Salt between the eyes.

Salt backs off with a chuckle, much to Pepper's surprise. "I forgive you for being naive. Come with me, Darling; I'll show you what real chemistry looks like."