Odd Squad: Otis Substitute

Chapter 39: Make Me Happy

Olympia and Oliver quickly climbed the stairs and began looking for Otis in each room on the third floor. So far, having seen almost every room, he had not been found. The question in their heads was why he was strange and he wasn't there with the other agents dancing. Perfect Places would soon end, but Oliver was playing a playlist, which means that soon another song would start playing automatically.

Some whining were heard by Olympia, who tried to make no noise as she approached. Tiptoeing, she looked out the half-open door, and there was Otis, in one of the most hidden rooms on the third floor, sitting on the floor, breathing fast and with tearful eyes. Olympia made a sign to Oliver, and he approached.

Quietly, the two teenagers entered the room. Otis then looked to the side, still bent over, and looked unhappy.

– Get out of here, please.

– Otis, we're here to help, – Olympia said, trying not to cause fights.

– Oh, and now Selena and Ohany will appear here also out of nowhere?

– They're dancing – Oliver said. –Selena is with Mason, and Ohany is with Orion.

Now, it was possible to hear Sabrina Carpenter's "Looking At Me" blasting on the speakers. Otis wiped her tears but continued to sob. Olympia sat next to Otis and pulled Oliver's arm, as if asking him to sit down too. Sighing, Olympia hugged him. 

– Why are you like that?

Otis was silent for a few seconds, but knew he could trust Olympia and Oliver.

– I was kind of upset, so I walked into any room on the second floor, but I ended up in the prison room – He said, afraid– Miss O was there, she told me horrible things.

– Like what? – Oliver was worried, so he spoke softly, almost whispering.

– Things I actually already felt. I think I'm not important here anymore.

–Otis, how can you think such a thing? – Oliver said in an indignant tone, and his facial expression made it clear that he had disagreed with what he had just heard.

– Calm down Oliver, listen to what he has to say. – Olympia said, and then turned her attention to Otis.

– You know, I think with all these Mad Squad members coming here, I don't need to be here anymore. – But there's something here that I need... you guys.

– Otis, if you don't want to leave, don't leave. – Olympia spoke in a louder tone – You don't need to leave, you are importante!

– For real. – Oliver returned with his indignation. –I don't know what Miss O told you, but it's a lie.

– It's not completely a lie. She knew I was thirsty for power. She always knew I wanted her place in the squad, even though it wasn't very obvious.

– So what? We all have ambitions in life. I've always been so competitive, I think, along with excessive curiosity, that was my biggest flaw.

–Being competitive is not a defect, Oliver, and eighter is being curious.

– For me it was. I already backstabbed some of my friends at school to earn higher grades and so no one wanted to be with me in recess, so I went on studying more and more and ended up becoming the most intellectual of both school and Mad Squad a few years ago, but everything It started because I was extremely competitive in a bad way.... and I was so curious that I spied on people just to discover secrets, and not for blackmail, but because I wanted to know, and a couple of times I raided the library to read some forbidden books – He paused. – Wow, it was a relief that I said that!