∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The next stop is the fancy restaurant. To put him to the test, to see if he has changed for the worse. Is he the Once-Ler Kristel used to adore?
She waited in line, but the Once-Ler obliged. "Kris, What are you doing?" He laughed, "Waiting in line..?" She raised an eyebrow. He looked shocked at the moment. Did she think they had to wait in line? He was the all-mighty Once-Ler! He doesn't need to wait in line, so does Kris. "You didn't mean that right?" He chuckled once more. She looked confused, tilting her head. He sighed, "Oh... Kris, you're such a dunce." He pats her back unexpectedly. "The dearest Once-Ler doesn't need to go in line! I'm the most important guy in this town for god's sake! I don't need to fall in line, so do you." He clutched her hand, running through the line. The people on the line groaned. "Ignore them, they just can't understand my greatness." He spoke cockily. They both got in front of the line, the people on their back whined and groaned.
She couldn't help but look back, staring at the people in the line. She hears them whisper about him and the article, saying maybe that the article was right, but it's all just maybe. The other whispers were questioning who she was, and why was she with him. They'd never seen her near him before. She ignores the mumbles, at least she knows now that the people of Thneedville have at the minimum read the article. On the other side, she could hear the Once-Ler order the most expensive food for both of them. He didn't even ask what she wanted, but she digressed. She's hungry, she'll eat a whole horse if she had to.
She stares at him with concern, "Are you sure you'll pay for all of that?" He giggled, "You're looking at the CEO of ThneedCo! Of course, I'll pay." She sighed, making him raise an eyebrow. "What? The man always pays for the first date, right? Be thankful here, Kris." She rubbed her eyes, she was very tired. "I apologize then." He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so uptight?" He squints his eyes, curious as to what happened during their long gap of no contact. She just shrugs.
The People on their backs were more confused. Why was the Once-Ler hanging out with such a lazy, unappreciative woman? Little did they know, she thought.
The waiter leads them to their seats. The waiter then opened her seat first before them. They sat down, staring at each other awkwardly. She looked away, staring at the people around them. She listened to the jazz music in the background.
The Once-Ler attempts to make small talk. "So..." He looks down, trying to think of a subject. "How's life? What do you do for a living?" She gulped. She thinks for a second. She can't tell if she works as a journalist. She sighs and says, "I'm a writer." It was technically true. She has written for a radio station. He doesn't seem surprised. "Ohh, Krissy still owns a diary I see!" He joked. She made a small smile, something he hadn't seen for the whole day. "And are you still a mama's boy?" She laughed. He got slightly offended. "For your information, my mother will always be better than your parents." Her eyes widened at the sudden comment. She looks at him seriously.
He realized he'd messed up. "Sorry..." He was not great at socializing, even with all his money. "It's fine..." He was surprised, she had always been so anger-driven before. There was another awkward silence between them.
"How's the business?" She raised an eyebrow. He smiled, "Business is doing great!" He continued his monologue, he enjoyed talking about his business. She was listening closely, and he could tell. He continued talking nonstop. Kris was quiet, examining everything he said. He felt a sense of uncomfortable energy. He ignored it and continued talking.
He didn't notice but a waiter was there to give him food. They were given iced tea and food. No, this isn't food, these are just edible leaves and meat placed on a plate. Calling them food would be such an overstatement. She examines the place they were eating at. Oh, how could she be surprised? They were eating at a fancy restaurant. The Once-Ler was commenting on the food, saying how professional and simple this looked, like it was revolutionary. She'll eat at a Seven-Eleven later.
She stares at the food, she doesn't have the energy to eat leaves and sauce, and she isn't that desperate. The Once-Ler looked at her in confusion. "Kris, is something wrong?" She looked up at him, "Huh? No, nothing's wrong." It was clear to both of them, this date was a flop. But none of them wants to admit it. There was an uncomfortable silence.
Finally, one of them spoke up. "Kristel... What happened to you..?" He said in a concerned tone. "What makes you say that?" She raised an eyebrow.
"It's just, that you haven't spoken for almost the whole day. You've given me weird looks." He shrugged, rubbing his head. "Did I do something wrong?" He looks at her, genuinely hurt. She stared into his eyes, it felt agonizing. Should she say it? No, it would be inappropriate to fight in a place like this. He repeats his question, this time in a stern tone. "Kristel, Did I do something wrong?" She can't tell it, not yet. She looked at the waiter and raised her hands. "Mr. Separate checks, please!" He looks aggravated. "S-separate checks?! Kris!?" He continued to talk angrily. The people eating looked at both of them, awkwardly. The Once-Ler suddenly goes quiet as he sees the people staring at him. He sat down back on his chair, turning away from shame.
The waiter finally came up to them. "Separate checks, is it?" She nodded. He stares in confusion, she is doing something financially stupid. He owns a million-dollar company! Why does she need to pay? To assert dominance?? (Alpha male Once-Ler XD) "No! I'll pay!" He slams the table. "Once-Ler, this is so childish of you." She sighed. "You see! You're not the Kris that I used to hang out with!" Both of them were very conflicted, why aren't they the person they used to be? She groaned, "Fine, I won't pay." She sighs. She stands up and takes her bag, ready to leave the premises. "W-what- Hey! Why are you leaving?" She ignored the question and left.
She is at the front of the exit door, then realizes she can't leave. At Least she can't leave without getting wet. The Once-Ler exits after. "You didn't answer my question!" He sounds anxious. She ignores him once more. He stares at her awkwardly, they are now standing beside each other.
"You know... You could use that Thneed as an umbrella, right?" He points at the Thneed. She sweats, "Uh, yeah. I knew that." Yet she doesn't change the Thneed's form. She doesn't know how to use the Thneed, yet she doesn't admit it. He stares at her confusingly, "I can help you with that..." He offers a helping hand. "No... Thank you, but no thanks..." He groans, "C'mon Kris, let me help!-" "Once-Ler, I said no-" "But, Kris-"
He accidentally pushed her into a puddle. He stares in panic "Kristel! Are you okay?!-" Unexpectedly, she laughs. She laughs as if she hasn't laughed in years. There is a light of joy in her green eyes. He laughs back awkwardly. She grabs his hands in surprise, pulling him underneath the rain. "You're not getting out of this one, C!" He got angry, soaking in the rain. His heat would make the water evaporate in his clothes. Until she saw her laugh, something that didn't happen the whole day. It gave him warmth, knowing the old Kristel he used to know was here. He didn't notice, but she pushed him into a puddle, "Hah! Payback!" She laughed. "Hey!" He got up slowly, as she backed up and ran.
They ran on the vacant sidewalk. The walkway is covered with puddles and mud from the water drops in the sky. This time, the Once-Ler was behind. She looks at him teasingly, tongue sticking out. "Who's the slo-mo now?" She chuckled. He laughed with her. The people stare at them with confusion, but they don't care. They felt like children once more. The times when they ran around the school, hiding from a teacher. Where they would go to explore abandoned places. The times when they didn't because they were having fun.
They stopped as they reached a populated place. The people holding their umbrellas up. They walked to the crowd, looking up as designed gamps hid the sky. The only thing they could see on top of the umbrellas was the Once-Ler's comically tall tophat. They bump into other people and get lost in the crowd. Until they reached a railway for a trolleybus. Kris reached the trolley first, jumping on it to find the Once-Ler way. Then the trolley started to move. She tightens her grip on one of the pillars. The Once-Ler reached the trolley next, but at that time, the trolley was already moving downhill Thneedville. He watches as Kristel's coat and Thneed follow the wind's direction. They both panicked, "C!" She shouted. He began running towards the trolley, but the trolleybus was fast.
She notices his struggle and starts removing the Thneed from her neck. She tied a clove hitch to the bar on top and wrapped the Thneed all around her waist. She leans to the edge of the trolley, giving him a helping hand. "Jump!" He does what she says. Their hands hold each other, but as their sweat falls, so does he. He looks down at rails, one bad step and he'll surely grab a concussion. The trolley moves fast, not knowing of the two passengers on the deck struggling. He screamed in panic, the people hearing his screams, but the trolley was too fast for the people around them to see them. Finally, he felt another hand grab him.
Yet he kept on screaming, his eyes closed. She snapped him out of his phase, by playfully punching him in the shoulders. "H-hey! Ow!" He rubbed his shoulders. His eyes widened as he realized he was alive. "Oh my..." He chuckled, "I'm alive!" He hugs her tightly, her feet hang above the floor. She was very worried, caressing his cheek. "C?! Are you alright?!" He chuckled, "Don't worry Krissy! It's not like this is the first time I almost died!" She raised an eyebrow. "You almost died before?"
"..."
"Nevermind"
She sighed, the air flowing to the blue sky. The city lights shine through the windows. They watch as the sky slowly turns to black as time moves on. They smiled at each other, feeling the warmth of their friendship grow. The trolley stops at its destination. They stopped smiling and ran out of the trolley. The driver of this trolley noticed them and realized they didn't pay for a ticket. He ran after them, but they ran faster. "Those damn millennials." The driver sighed.
They chuckled as they ran until they were back on the sidewalk. They were both exhausted. They walked beside a Seven-Eleven. They decided to buy something at the convenience store and then sat underneath the sunshade. They were a panting, sweating mess. "It's a beautiful view isn't it?" The Once-Ler said as he drank his slushie. " Yeah..." She smiled. He looks at her warmly, "You... uh, don't look like a professional hobo." She chuckled, "The gloves are still stupid." "I take the compliment back." There was a comfortable silence between them, a feeling which they both missed.
Chuckles, "My mom is going to kill me." She choked on her drink.
✧
✧
✧
✧
✧
Kristel was back home from her apartment, soaking wet. She went to the bathroom and quickly changed her clothes. As she left the bathroom, the Lorax was waiting on her desk. "Kriss-Berry." He seems serious. She chuckled, "What's wrong pumpkin? Growing red?" He sighed.
"I heard something about your father." She suddenly stops in her tracks. "Of course, you've been spying the whole date." She sighed and sat on her office chair. "Clever" He raised an eyebrow, "So I heard from Beanpole that your father was a bad person... What's that all about?"
She looks at her father's picture, his head burned off the picture. "It's a long story."
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘