It was a bright an early morning when I heard the familiar rooster croaking of the humming fish and as the bright white of the sun shone just over the horizon. Energy was stretching through my head to my toes and I was ready to go. I was already running my way to the Onceler's place, bags in hand and around my shoulders. I loved running. It made me feel so free and- "AH-!" I bumped directly into him while I wasn't paying attention. "H-hey! Ah careful there...friend." he responded. I huffed and rose from my fall, grabbing onto his arm and accidentally pulling us close. I saw him blush as he reluctantly helped me up. "Well...um.... anyway. I've packed our things! You better be ready, we've got a big day." I commanded. I proceeded to shove his own bag in his arms, setting him back a bit. "Uhum...I'm sorry. Our? Things?" He nervously responded. I simply turned away and checked my bag to make sure we have everything. "Yeah. It was like... really easy actually. You're apparently a very heavy sleeper. You should lock your door at night by the way, you wouldn't want any weirdos entering your house" I rambled, pulling out a bottle of floral perfume and spritzing it on Onceler, again, throwing him for a bit of a loop. "Ah! Hey!" I set it back in my bag "you smell. Did you even shower? When did you wake up?"
"I-"
"Y'know what it doesn't matter. Let's go"
I began trudging toward town.
"H-hey wait!"
I hear him say as he catches up to me. And quickly after a long jog I found it again. Town. I dread it. I heard the Onceler huffing slightly as he finally trudges up behind me. "What's....the plan....anyway...if you're so....ah.... prepared." As he asked this, I carefully brought out a small piece of paper i took with me from my tiny teal bookbag. "Well, I wrote it down, see here-" I point to the first bullet point written in crayon. "First we set up the flyers around our area, we pull up the banner I created above the gazebo, place down the thneeds in a box, that's when you start playing your guitar and if things go south, I've got a radio for replacement and we can improvise. You get all that?"
"Uh..."
"Great! Let's do it! Here's your half of the flyers and I'll take the rest, now start taping, stringbean." I sent him on his way with half the flyers and a roll of tape I stole from his own home. Once we've both gotten our flyers hung up, including the banner we both came together and saw that it was time to start the show. I slip his own guitar strap around his head and his shoulders, making sure to hold them as I do while I look him in the eyes. "You've got this, okay?" He simply looks back and says "y'know...for someone who hadn't had a friend before, you're quite the helpful supportive gal." I smile at him. I can't believe I've been so caught up in the work I've forgotten how...admirable the Onceler is. So accepting and kind. To think that I've underestimated him makes me feel like I'm no better than the vicious crowd surrounding me. Either way...like I've said, he's... definitely worth keeping. "Oh...you get up there, you." I push him onto the gazebo's surface and push myself back into the small crowd. I gave him a quiet thumbs up of approval before he began his first strum. I nervously bite my nails. "Hey look! It's that funny guy again!" The crowd erupted in laughter as the random citizen rudely called out. He looks back to me, the fear in his eyes, the puppy dog look on his poor baby face. It made my guts twist, but I had to keep my composure for him. He continued anyway. I stayed positive until...
I see this...rat of a little girl took his guitar right from his hands, and proceeds to smash it into a pillar. Right in half! To say I was mad would be an understatement. I nearly shouted at this crowd for supporting such insensitive behavior. He looked down to me, pointing in disbelief. That's when I gave him an angered, but approving nod. Quickly, I busted out the radio from my bag and set it up properly, playing the replacement music. He invited me up with his hand, I grasped it and he pulled me onto the gazebo. It was there...right there when I realized my great fear. The crowd...the people...the anxiety shook through me like a strike of lightning. My legs grew weak and the hairs stood up on my arms. The Onceler tapped my shoulder, turning me to look him in his eyes. "Hey." He mumbled. "You've got this, okay?" I sighed as he repeated my words back to me for encouragement. I felt...warm. better. More confident. The crowd fell silent as they began to stare and murmur. Suddenly, I felt my hands being tightly grasped by his own. I was shocked, turning to see him right in front of me like this. He stepped backwards, to the side...and spun me around. It didn't take me long to figure out we were dancing to the music I had set up. Genius! It felt kind good to start dancing for once. But sadly, my joy didn't last very long, as the crowd remained as harsh as they've been. No wonder I've stayed introverted my whole life. They began throwing random things like tomatoes and baseballs. My heart pounded out of my own chest and that's when I decided to get...crafty. No way in hell was I gonna stand there and take it all. And neither will he on my watch. I took a sudden turn, and as a tomato was rocketing my direction, I swung my arm and hit it with the back of my elbow. It shot in the other direction somewhere into the crowd. A gasp went around the people. And I could feel my eyes burning with determination. Left and right I would pull him close and dodge one, then twirl to the right and kick another! I was on fire at this point. It was like a dance/tai sabaki jiu jitsu combination at its finest. Swing, step, kick, slap, and bow, I was a dancing dodging maniac! Apparently, however...I haven't been paying attention. The crowd was not happy at all. They began to murmur very angrily and I began to feel shaky, fearful and angry once more. Until I felt my hand grasp his, as he dipped me under him, his other hand held my back. "Hey! Are you alright?" He whispered into my ear. I tried to speak through my stuttering but...he cut me off. "We should stop."
"B-but we can turn this around!" Desperately, I tried to save the situation but it wasn't enough. "Meghan, it's okay. Let's pack our things, you did-" *smash* went another tomato on his poor puppy dog face. The crowd erupted in laughter once again. That's it. I've had enough. I rose from my lean, the anger, surging through my veins, holding my balance. I brushed the mess off his face and faced the crowd. "You all are SERIOUSLY MESSED UP! kicking down a guy you barely know-" I started. Everyone had their eyes on me. "This is one of the kindest people you'll ever meet! And his product is more than worth a try! If you arrogant, rude, hateful... ASSHOLES would just- AH!" I got hit in the head before my chance to finish. That's when I was roughly pulled off the gazebo and practically dragged away from town. As the crowd's noise faded, I felt my stomach churn more and more. What have I done? As I walked away from the screams and kept next to Onceler. "Do you....want to talk?" He spoke. The calm in his voice soothed my noise-pierced ears. The wind fell on my heated face and I finally found myself to be...relaxed. "um. I...just...I just wish I could have done something different! I could've saved it I..." He looked at me concerned. And I sighed. There was no way I could excuse my way out of this. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I never meant to make it about me, honest! I just know what it's like to be hurt...and...I wanted to help..." I rubbed my neck, embarrassed. "Meghan....it's alright." He placed a warm, tomato stained hand onto my shoulder. "You did a lot for me. You stood up to all those people even when I was down? Not only is that super brave, but super sweet of you!" I tried to take his compliment but... something irked me. "But the people still don't care!" I argued. Hoping he would take my side and guilt me like I'd expect anyone else to.
"I do!" He responded. And with those words...those words were the ones that made me realize who he really is. How big his heart is. It showed me his mind was in a place mine wasn't but somehow....he wanted to help me get there. I smiled. Blushed, even. And as the sun began to set on that fateful day, I knew these next moments of my life, I wanted to spend with him. My new friend.