Nickel's POV

I'm trash.

Absolute, utter, trash.

I was a sarcastic little asshole to everyone, I forced friendships apart, I made my own team member, my own alliance member, steal a battery, I overlooked and ignored what emotionally was important to my team, and...

I was a horrible friend.

I wouldn't be surprised if everyone hates me now. Suitcase, Balloon, Mic, Knife, the viewers, and even Baseball. I deserve the hate, to say the least.

But maybe I can make it right somehow.

Which is why I plan to sneak out of this place.

I want...need, to apologize.

~~~

Late at night, very close to midnight, everyone is finally asleep. I swear to god, these guys have a party every night. But the important thing is that everyone's sleeping. I open my room door, it creaks loudly, and I flinch.

Nothing happens.

With a sigh, I slip out the gap in the door, and walk down the hallway. Stay casual, I remind myself. It's normal that objects come out of their rooms in the middle of the night. I've seen a couple of them sleepwalking. Or it's just a case of insomnia. Either way, no one should suspect too much as I make my way to the elevator.

Once I get to the lobby, I sprint. Can't waste any time. Opening the main door with effort, I step onto the stone path, and take it all in.

It's been almost a year since I last saw the outside of the hotel. And before you can argue about the portal, it takes us inside the hotel. OJ doesn't let us outside his hotel because "MePhone said so".

But nobody really gives a crap. Apple had left recently, no one knows where she went. We were also informed that Marshmallow had once again left the parameters I had no idea existed.

I turned my head to the orange trees lining the walkway. Each one was trimmed more or less the same, we can thank Soap's OCD for that. Anything else around the hotel I couldn't entirely make out, since it was still dark.

Speaking of which, I need to get moving. I dash across the walkway, my footsteps clicking against the floor at a quick beat. Before long, the path ends, making way for the grass.

The contestants sleep outside, so all I need to do is look for a rectangular shaped object in the middle of the night.

That can't be hard, can't it?

I slow down, needing to catch my breath. I'm also near the official challenge area where everyone is dozing, and I can't risk anyone waking up.

Looking around, I can see what remains of the previous challenge, the chests, targets, and containers. I can also see the elimination area. The screen is dark, just like the sky.

And then I see the contestants. Their bodies are scattered all across the grass, and it's light enough that I can make out definite shapes.

I guess this won't be too hard after all.

I scan the sleeping forms, until I see one that looks like Suitcase. Quietly, I tiptoe over to her spot, and gently shake her. She groans a little, and turns over so I can see her face. But I know she can't see mine.

"Meet me by the edge of the forest. Please."

"Ok, just give me five minutes..." She tiredly mumbles. Good enough. I nod, and run to the meeting point.

~~~

I've been waiting here for a few minutes, and I'll wait as long as I need to. But thankfully, I didn't have to stand there for much longer. I saw Suitcase sleepily strolling over, her eyes a little baggy from stress or lack of sleep.

She looked up, and she looked taken aback by my appearance here. She glared, but still continued to approach. Suitcase kept walking until she was right in front of me, then she stared at me sternly and said in a cold voice,

"What do you what?"

I take a deep breath before replying, "I just...want to talk, okay?"

"Sure, whatever." She shrugs. She's...avoiding eye contact with me. But it doesn't matter, she needs to feel comfortable if we're going to sort this out.

"I'm sincerely sorry about what I've done to you, you and Balloon. So...I just wanted to come and set things right between us. I don't want to hate you. I'm really sorry." I say. Suitcase stays silent and unresponsive.

Then she mumbles, "...so..?"

So? What does she mean by that?

"Suitcase...what do you mean?" I ask.

"So what? Have you come to apologize because you know I can't hate? And just so you could...you could use me again?"

"What? Suitcase, no, I-"

"It's NOT going to work. I'm NOT the same person you saw on the glacier. I'm NOT the same person who would blindly follow every single order I was given!"

"Suitcase, please-" I was practically pleading with her now, but she wouldn't listen!

"NO! How do I know you're being true!? How do I know you mean what you say!? You've done NOTHING but try to tear me and Balloon apart and shaming me with all your sarcasm, and for WHAT!? Why would you try to take away the ONLY FRIEND I HAD IN THIS DAMN GAME!?"

Her eyes were on fire, not literally, but they might as well been. She doesn't understand! Why won't she listen!?

"Suitcase, you need to understand that I was only trying to protect-"

"There it is again! "Protect"! What do you need to protect me from!? Balloon!? NO! I. Don't. Care! He is my friend, and YOU don't have the right to be JEALOUS OF HIM!"

"HEY, who said I was jealous!? I was merely trying to keep you in the alliance!"

"KEEP ME IN!? BECAUSE WE NEED THE NUMBERS TO ADVANCE!? LOOK WHAT HAPPENED! YOU'VE BEEN ELIMINATED, EVEN WITH THE "NUMBERS". AND YOU KNOW WHY!? BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T A TRUE ALLIANCE MEMBER! BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T A FRIEND! AND I HOPE YOU LIKE BEING ALONE, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL YOU GOT OUT OF THIS!"

"UGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE I THOUGHT FOR ONE SECOND THAT MAYBE WE COULD GET ALONG, BUT SINCE YOU ARE ACCUSING ME OF THINGS I NEVER MEANT TO DO, AND DISSING ME OFF, IT'S BETTER WE DON'T EVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN!"

"I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL!"

"YOU KNOW WHAT!? BE THAT WAY! I NEVER LIKED YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

Then she kicks my leg, so hard that I fall over.

"I hate you."

The grass crunches as she storms off without another word. I get up, the greenery stuck to my face where the tears fell. I gaze at her stomping to where she was before, a few contestants already up, and asking her what happened. She goes by without an answer.

The sky has gotten lighter, I should head back before anyone notices I'm gone. I quietly make my way back to the hotel, with only one thing on my mind.

Suitcase and I...

We are never going to be okay with each other.