'He asks me if I could do him a favor as he keeps his eyes on the road, avoiding each traffic obstacles. His eyes spark with such an overwhelming confident flair that can blind the sun if he tried. So bright like his so called past.
What favor do you have in mind? I replied.
Instead of telling me directly, he only tells me that she will explain it to me later - that she is the only one that can tell me about his request. Millions of questions wonder in my mind, trying to hit the corner of the box but instead I just look straight ahead at the road, like him, as his eyes tries its best to stay poised.'
You find yourself reading the same blue book outside on the table.
It's already been a month after the tomato incident. You stop going to town because of it. Even if you wanted to go, Onceler wouldn't let you – even if you tried. He's afraid that you will scare away his customers – and get arrested. However, you respected his wishes and just stay put, waiting for the sun to shine its orange hue directly on your face every evening. Only then, you get excited for his arrival. And every day, he arrives with a white lily on his hand. And every day, you put it in a vase full of water.
You look at the vase behind you, already filled with 30 lilies.
But every day, you always do something new! You spend your days reading, toy voyaging, tattooing cars, mooing completions, browsing the internet, Netflix, shark dancing, drawing, and playing with the creatures in the forest. Hey, you even developed a closer bond with the Lorax and his friends.
Outside, you see the Lorax, Pipsqueak, Fin or Gil (We basically can't tell the difference), and Bill playing cards, so you decided to join them.
"What cha doing?" You said like Isabella from Phineas and Ferb.
"We try to decide which card game to play." The Lorax responded. "I want to play poker, he wants to play go fish, and he just hungry." You see Bill trying to snatch the fish cards like a professional cosplayer competing in an American Halloween costume competition.
You sit down beside the Lorax and suggests, "How about we have a friendly competition."
"I'm listening..." Everyone stops looking at their cards and look at you.
"How about we play a game that I suggest, and the winner get to choose which card game to play!" You said enthusiastically. "Doesn't that sound like a good plan, eh?"
You playfully hit the Lorax with your elbow.
"Watch it bucko! This is my no- no square!" The Lorax said calmly as he traces an imaginary square around his body. "What game do you have in mind?"
"Cards against humanity!" You blurted out.
NARRATOR: Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehhehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh
Megalovania InTensIfiES
"What?" The Lorax quirks his neck to the side.
NARRATOR: Wait, the Lorax doesn't even have a neck. It all curves of his peanut figure.
"What I meant to say is that we should play hangman!" You said as you stare at the sky, seeing the narrator watching outdated vines while writing an essay about the #cancelbabies trend.
"So, we basically gonna hang beanpole?" The Lorax said.
"Whatttt no!!!!" You screech as you bring your knees closer to your face. Even Pipsqueak cringe a little. "And you claim yourself to be passive. You also called Onceler 'an intruder and his violent ways."
"Well, he's the only human man around here..." He said. "Sort of..."
"And..."
"And?" You lean closer to the Lorax, expecting a reasonable apology from him.
"And it wouldn't be such a bad idea!" He sneers at you.
"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY?" You stood there shocked. "YOU REALLY WOULD DO THAT?!?!?"
"Nah, but that would be a good scared in order to keep him in place..." Lorax said with his mustache smiling mischievously to the Lorax's response. For a second, you even saw his mustache doing mischievously finger wiggly Wiggens signs!
"Also, even if I wanted to kill him, I wouldn't save his life twice that same night."
After that response, you remember that in fact the Lorax saved Onceler's life twice!
"You are out of your mind, Lorax, but I love it!" You said. "Especially when you make me lose my mind..."
Afterwards, you explain them how to play hangman. And out of the middle of nowhere, the narrator blesses you with a whiteboard and a marker.
"Who's ready to win??" You said with a dash of Effiel.
The game finally begins!
They keep struggling.
Like really.
You don't really blame them since its their first time playing it.
But nobody really struggles on hangman like them.
I mean, this is what they have so far...
"Hey, the stick figure looks like beanpole!" The Lorax said as he points at the whiteboard. "Are you sure we are not going to hang beanpole?"
"For the last time we are not going to hang bean- I mean Once-poo – I mean I mean Onceler and beat him up like a Piñata like those kids did to poor Mike Myers in that certain movie!" You said as your cross your arms angrily at the Lorax.
"And are you sure that this isn't another sneaky way of yours of fangirling over beanpole? You could just keep it to yourself and post it on Tumblr or Tik Tok or whatever you zoomers are into these days."
"I don't see a slight resemblance between this stick figure and Onceler!" You defend your lovable beanpole. "Also, I do not fangirl over him!"
The Lorax raises a brow at you.
"...that much." You awkwardly look at the ground.
"They're basically the same person. They both have the lanky figure!" He said as he walks up to the whiteboard and snatch the marker off your hands. He begins to write something on the board. You try to see what he's writing, but can't due to his radiant orange hair.
"There!" He said as he put the cap on the marker. Afterwards, he joined the group and notice Pipsqueak staring at the board with such admiration. So, you turn around and see what the Lorax did.
"Now I see it!" You said surprisingly and excited at the same time. "And I must confess, the drawing does capture Onceler's attractiveness..."
You joined Pipsqueak and keep looking at the drawing.
The Lorax roll his eyes and said, "I swear if I get a stick and put on a fedora on top of it, you wouldn't even hesitate of making out with it."
"Hey! That's not true! I'm not that desperate..." You snap at the Lorax like that kid from 1st grade that keeps on snapping the crayons into two pieces cuz they thought they were cool and strong. "Or am I?"
"How about you keep that thought to yourself that way you keep yourself awake at night, and we should continue the game." The Lorax suggested.
"Whatever you say."
Even with the image of poor lanky Onceler, they just keep on struggling.
"Remember, think of a phrase." You said to everyone.
Everyone keeps struggling like a class struggling to finish a pop pop pop quiz in math class.
"A phrase? There's a ton of phrase!" The Lorax said. "This is so hard!"
"That what she said."
Everyone turns around and sees OMG MICHael Scott!
"Correct, hot shot!" You pointed at the World's Best Boss!
"How on earth does the narrator get these people in this story anyway???" The Lorax exclaimed.
NARRATOR: P O W E R R E S P E C T IT!
Then Michael Scott stands up and strike a T-pose like Roblox Shaggy as he's being lifted off the ground by a pair of swomee swans. Everyone sees the group flocks away as they head towards the sun.
After they left, the Lorax looks at you with a disappointed face.
"Nobody won." The Lorax said. "Now what?"
"How about you guys play the game that you guys want to play."
"But then that won't work."
"Well it might not but at least you guys are spending time together. That's what's more important..."
"You have a point there, kid..." He said. "If only beanpole could only find his."
"Great!" You said as you stand up. "And will you allow me I'm going to take a nap!"
They all tell you good-bye.
Therefore, you walk inside the cottage and went to sleep.
***
You wake up with the sound of a door closing.
You look up and see Onceler leaning against the door – looking wearily at his feet with his fedora on his hand. You see small red specks of tomatoes on his face – like always.
"Back so soon?" You asked as you get out of the bed.
"Yeah."
"Where is your thneed?" You ask as you notice that he's doesn't have it on him like always.
"Where it belongs..." He confesses. "In the trash!"
"The trash?" You thought and then you remember the scene from the movie.
'Right, this is the part when he quits! What should I do?'
Here it goes.
You walk to him with your thneed on your hand and use the thneed to gently remove the remaining tomato specks from his face. As you clean his face, you notice that Onceler is looking at a different direction, avoiding eye contact with you. Like he is ashamed of his own failure in front of you. Like he's in a dentist appointment and didn't floss his teeth like a good person should, so he avoids making eyes contact as the dentist clean his teeth.
"I can't believe I failed. I was pretty sure that I would succeed that things would be different this time..." He muttered.
"You did all you can do." You said sincerely.
"I can see everyone laughing at me when I return home. People will think I'm a bigger idiot that before..."
"Shhh, don't think about that." You interrupted him. " You should be proud of your efforts. I'm proud of your efforts, even the Lorax supports you somehow in his weird way, but he does!" You said. "Just relax, take a shower. You need it!"
"Thanks Y/N." He said sincerely as he finally looks at you with his blue cap gown eyes.
"I mean really, you do need a shower! P.U.!" You said jokily as you wave your hand in front of your face.
"Hahaha really funny..." He replies. "But no matter what you just can't keep your hands from me!"
He smirks playfully at you as you smile awkwardly. You can feel your face burning of how embaressed you feel.
"Hey, you make it sound like I'm such a pervert! The only physical contact I give you is all of my warm genuine hugs!"
"I'm just saying." Onceler said as he headed off and walks straight inside the bathroom.
But soon enough, the bathroom door open and Onceler's head pops out.
"However, I don't mind."
And by that, he closes the bathroom door as you look at the camera like you're in the show THE OFFICE with a WTF face.
As soon you can hear the shower, you stand straight and tall, with a grin on your face and your hands behind your back.
"This is now my chance for my surprise!"
Onceler comes out of the bathroom all relax and fresh as a daisy in his new fresh set of clean clothes.
"I really needed that shower. I feel a whole lot better!" He said as his face is still buried in a towel.
He didn't hear a response and look around. He can't seem to find you.
"SURPRISE!!!!" You pop out behind the table all dress up in green eggs and ham.
"WOW! You cook all of this?" He said as he points at the table.
"Yeah! I promise, didn't I?"
"Right!" He said enthusiasticly as he accidently drops his towel. "This look so delicious!"
"So, I thought that today is the day to fulfill your promise!" You smile at Onceler's happy expression.
You remember a few chapters ago, when Onceler confessed that his favorite book is Green Eggs and Ham! How excited he got when you said that you would make him green eggs and ham. You thought that this would be the time to make him some. He really needs it.
"Thanks!"
"Don't thank me! Thank me after your first bite!"
So, you both head to the table and eat together, as usual. Not that you are complaining or something.
"This is so good!" Onceler said as he eats the food. "It's even tasier than I could ever imagined!"
"Thanks!"
"How was your day today?" Onceler asks as he devours his food happily.
"Great! I did the usual and hang out with the gang." You reply.
"It seems like you had fun!"
"Exactly!"
"I also noticed that whiteboard outside. I wonder where it come from?" Onceler says as he looks at the window from afar and see the whiteboard.
"Oh that? We played hangman in order to decide which card game to play..." You explained.
"Interesting..."
"What's so interesting of playing some old school hangman with some mythical creature and some creatures that somehow understands you but you can't understand them?" You shrug playfully as you chew on your food.
"I notice the little drawing of me..." He smirks at you as he is 100% sure that it was you who drew him and not the Lorax.
"Oh Crappity crap crap!" You exclaimed. "It wasn't me! The Lorax drew the fedora and the gloves on the stick figure, because he thought that the stick figure looks like a ton like you."
"I was a bit confused at first, but then the more I look at it, I notice how that self portrait of me really captures my best features." He said as he continues eating.
"I swear! I think he did a really good job. I even blush a little...um.... Because I was so jealous of the Lorax artistic skills and I was SO jealous like Jell-O...." You keep on rambling and defending yourself, but your oh poor teenage hormones is making everything worse.
Onceler giggles at your reaction.
"Calm down, Empress of Bunny Town. I'm not mad!" He said cheerfully. "We don't want you to choke again like last time. I just don't know what I'll do without you in my life."
"Right. My bad. I overreacted." You look down on your plate as you stab your food with your fork.
"Now that we passed that, can I ask you something?"
"What?" You look up to Onceler.
"Why is there a stick with a highly crafted fedora over there?" Onceler points at the window.
You look at the window and see a stick with a highly detailed grey fedora. The Lorax has strike again! Yee. And beside it you see a note. You stand up, walk to it, and read the note.
If we eliminate all laws that exists, we can reduce the crime rate to 0%
- Nat the Narrator
'What kind of things go through this narrator's head to write this type of nonsense?'
NARRATOR: Let me check.... Currently I have school, this fanfic, music, Tik Tak, puppies, the office, bois, cute bois, O'Hare, and the fact that I was today old when I discovered that Johnny Depp collects Barbie dolls and play with them in order to study his acting roles. I also ate those little Debbies limited edition unicorns' cakes. So, I blame those mostly.
After that weird note and TMI about the narrator, you walk back to the table to enjoy your lovely food.
NARRATOR: I wish I can cook.
"Yeah the note confirms that it was the Lorax that made it!"
"Probably to cheer me up..."
You both laugh.
However, his happy expression turns dim with his weary eyes and weak but forced smile. He puts the fork down and bury his face in his hands as he leans on the table.
"I just don't know why life just got to be so mean to me. I try my best. I try to be strong. I try to put my best smile and tell them that they don't bother me. That I won't give in what they want. I always try my best but somehow I never get what I want!"
You look at him sympathetically and stand up from your chair. You walk to the other side of the table where Onceler is and wrap your arms around him. You lay your head on top of his as you lightly stroke his vest. You can feel and hear his chest rise at every breath.
"Don't stress. You'll get them next time. Don't give up now! You already invested so much of your time and efforts that it would be a waste to throw it all out now." You said softly. "I'm still proud of you and always will no matter what you do."
You can hear some crying.
"No matter what, I'm still a failure. I failed my family numerous times. I failed you, the Lorax, Pipsqueak, and myself."
"You're not a failure." You said as you look at the sun shining through the window. It is still early. There is still time.
"You're only saying that to make me feel better."
"Look, many people have great ideas. World changing ideas even! The thing is that only a small percentage of them don't take action and in the end those ideas get forgotten with the help of time. They only dreamed of the dream, but they just don't put it to work. Those who don't try at all are the REAL failures. Taking that first step and keeping it up takes some real guts, and you sir have some real tough guts in you. Always have. And that the manliness thing you can ever do no matter if you knit or cook or watch My Little Pony as long as you have guts, you got some character which I like that quite a lot. I even admire it!"
Onceler didn't say anything; however, you hear a sigh of relief. The crying stop after he already calm down.
You close your eyes imagining Onceler successful and without his family and all happy and you all happy because you made him happy. How the forest is still there. Then, you see your entire future as an old film playing like in the last scene from the movie LA LA LAND; however, it's kind of blurry, but you can somehow have an idea. You smile at the thought and willingly you plant a kiss on Onceler's head.
Suddenly, you notice Onceler's entire body tense up. Before he turns around and sees you, you walk off to the door with your back facing him. You just want to see his face but something in you tell you not to.
"I'll tell the others that the pancakes will be ready soon."
And you walk away, without looking back.
TO BE CONTINUED....
BONUS BOGUS!:
Bruh?!? How wrote that?
Thank you so much for reading!