kbozzy This is especially for you!!:)

Nickel's POV

I still cannot believe Suitcase voted me off. Suitcase, of all objects!!! It's just so...

AAARRRGGHHH!!!!!! I can't even think STRAIGHT!!

I flopped myself onto my bed, bouncing into the air a little. At least Balloon was voted off too, that does it some justice. She just doesn't understand, I was just trying to protect her!! And what do I get in reward? A vote off. Sure, I was aggressive, but hey, that's the only way you get things done around here. You can't be a total pushover, or everyone uses you.(A/N Wow, that's ironic.-_-)

Then I hear a knock on my door. "Hello? Nickel, you in there?"

It doesn't sound like Balloon, but if they're here to talk about my "feelings", then they can get the hell out of here.

"Yes, I'm here. Come in."

The door opens with a creak, and then I see that it's Paper. He quickly looks around the room before focusing his eyes on me.

"Um, how are you?" He nervously says in his squeaky voice.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Ok, that's great! So, if you're not hung up on the elimination anymore..."

Are you kidding me? Did he NOT pick up the sarcasm?

"Paper, mind your own business." I scowl, turning away.

"Nevermind, you still are. Well, OJ just wanted me to tell you that the remaining contestants are coming to visit in honor of the halfway mark."

The show is halfway over? I didn't even realize. There were nineteen contestants at the beginning, now there are only, what, nine left?

"Wow, sooooo exciting."

He sighed softly. "They'll be coming after 8:00, see you later Nickel."

"Yeah, see ya."

Paper left the room quietly, closing the door behind him.

Upon hearing the final thud of the door closing, I faceplant onto the bed and groan. Is life always this hard?

"After 8, huh?" I mutter to absolutely nobody. I honestly don't expect anyone to come to talk to me.

I mean, Microphone will be talking to Soap and Cheesy, Knife would probably be gloating to Trophy, Marshmallow, wherever she is, is most likely going to yell at Apple, and Suitcase would be talking to...

Balloon.

Ugh, just thinking about them is making me feel sick and angry to my stomach. Before I know it, I'm absolutely livid again! Every single particle of me is seething in hatred at those two!

But, there's one little bit that just doesn't feel anything, it's just... numb. It's empty. And it's slowly taking over.

I don't like it.

Baseball's POV

I should be mad at Suitcase, I really should, but I just can't bring myself to hate her! It's really annoying, she's technically supposed to be my enemy now, but we're still on the same team and still an alliance, if you can even call it that anymore.

And I still hope that we can be friends, even after that... elimination.

Oh, who am I kidding!? She probably hates me now!! I just dissed her opinion off at the elimination, but the fact is, it's true! Sure, Nickel was a little mean and forcing to Suitcase, but he didn't deserve to be eliminated, right?

WHY MUST LIFE BE SO CONFUSING!? I could KICK something!

I sigh to myself, then walk to a nearby hill and sit down. The night is relatively cool, I'm glad for that.

"Baseball," I hear someone start. It doesn't sound like Suitcase, but I don't turn around. Instead, I respond wth,

"Yeah?"

"Congrats on making it this far in the game! We are at the halfway mark, so we've decided to reward you guys!" I can identify the voice now, it's MePhone.

"Really?" Wow, the halfway mark! I didn't realize we were this far in! I turn around this time, revealing none other than MePhone. "For real! We're letting you guys spend the night at Hotel OJ, you can hang out, chat with your pals, whatever. But all of us are going, like it or not. We leave at 8:00." And with that, MePhone left, leaving me with my thoughts once again.

Still, the halfway mark! There are nine contestants as of now, so there were originally eighteen of us? Wait, that doesn't sound right, let me see. Tissues, Cherries, Trophy, Box, Yin-Yang, Apple, Cheesy, Soap, Balloon, Nickel, Suitcase, Mic, Knife, Lightbulb, Paintbrush, Fan, Test Tube, Marshmallow and me. That's nineteen. Nineteen of us entered this competition, and now only nine remain. Wow.

I start walking back to the main area, and start to think. There's only one person I want to talk to, and that person is the only one who understands me. That same person also happens to be my best friend. Yup, Nickel. I don't feel compelled to talk to anyone else, just him. Ever since his elimination, there's been a growing black hole inside me, I just don't feel the same without him. It's like he is my light, no matter if he's sarcastic or not. And now that light has dimmed, and I'm stumbling around in the dark. I'm completely lost without my light.

Then, I realize with a jolt, I haven't really talked to anyone since the elimination!! I really need to talk to Nickel.

Nickel's POV

I look at my clock for the millionth time. 7:58. I swear, time has never passed so slowly in my life! I get up, and pace around the room. Am I waiting for something? Someone? No! I'm not waiting, I'm not!!! Whatever, it's just really boring here. I sigh, and lean against a table. I feel my eyes drooping as I slip into LaLa Land. Then everything is black.

*Knock knock!* A sudden knock on the door wakes me up, and I look around the room. *Knock knock!!* There it is again. I call out, "Hello?" A very familiar voice comes from the other side. A voice that I could never get tired of. "Nickel, buddy? You in there?" "Baseball!!" I exclaim. Oh dang it. Well I failed horribly at trying to contain my emotions. "Can I come in?" "Do you even have to ask? Sure, come on in, invade my privacy." I added sarcastically. He just opens the door and says, "You are so predictable." He grins widely when he finishes, and I give him a small smile.

"So Nickel, how's it going?"

I laugh, for real, and say, "You are so predictable."

"Hey!" Baseball exclaims, but he laughs anyway. I smile and laugh right along with him. I dunno, I just feel that I can be myself when I'm around him. Whatever "myself" is.

So there we were, sitting together on my bed, laughing and talking about random stuff. It ruled. There's just something special about spending time with the one person who really cares about you, no matter what.

I didn't want it to end. And as I was just hanging out with Baseball, the empty feeling inside me filled up with... something. I don't know what exactly, but it was warm, and it lifted weight off my shoulders. Pretty soon I could feel this feeling coursing through my entire body!! What the heck is this feeling!? And why do I only get this feeling around Baseball?

Baseball's POV

This is amazing. Just chilling with Nickel, not worrying about the competition, or anything! Just random stuff and laughing. I guess this what Hakuna Mattata feels like!

As I talked with him, I felt something blossoming inside me. That numb black hole that was once there was replaced with something... warm. It feels so amazing! I also saw something else. The childish light in Nickel's eyes. They came back. It was something I thought I would never see them again, but here they are!

He smiled as he talked to me, it was genuine! I felt like a kid again, just talking to my only best friend. I just wanted to preserve this moment in a jar forever!

But of course, I just HAD to screw it up.

Despite them shining, I noticed a troubled look when I gazed into Nickel's eyes. So, naturally, I asked him, "Hey, you look a little bothered, is something up?"

He just gives me a confused look and says, "Hm? Oh, it's nothing."

Here's the thing though. With all my experience with Nickel, I've come to understand his game. One rule is that whenever he looks troubled, but says no when you ask, something's DEFINITELY up.

"Nope, I'm not backing off this time. Something's wrong, so say it!"

"Nothing's wrong!" He protests.

"Nickel, I've known you for five years. I know when something's up with you." And before thinking, I immediately ask, :Is it about Suitcase?"

Just at the mention of her name, Nickel lowers his eyebrows and shakes his head. As if disapproving of Suitcase. But he looks up at me and says, "No, it's not Suitcase this time."

He's telling the truth. So if Suitcase isn' t bothering him, what is?

"So, what's bothering you?"

"Nothing." Nickel says again.

"I'm gonna do it!" I half-shout. Nickel's expression turns from discreet to a little frightened.

"No Basball, don't do it!"

Oh man, I love making him squirm like that. There's a little trick I learned back in our childhood that would always make Nickel spill the beans. Let's just say that it's not just girls that can unleash the puppy dog eyes. Heheh.

"I will do it Nickel."

"No, please, I am BEGGING you to not do it."

"You're spilling the news anyway, better to do it now."

"No."

"Then I'm doing it!"

"Oh dear god, please help me. Baseball, no! Please!"

"Nope, you made up your mind, I made up mine."

"Baseball ple-"

Before he can finish, I gaze at Nickel, almost into him. Basically, pleading him with my eyes to say everything on his mind.

"......FINE I'LL TELL YOU!!! JUST STOP!!!!!"

Works like a charm.

"So? I'm listening."

Nickel sighed deeply, then he began to speak.

"Well, I don't know how to describe it, but, ever since the elimination, I've had this... feeling. When everything else was anger, there was this one part of me that felt numb. Like it was empty. It was like there was something missing from me... until recently."

He turned away, but I slowly spun him around back to me, holding him with my foot. He hesitantly looked up at me, and I held his gaze.

"Go on."

I could tell he was thinking. I could only hope he would open up. Then he started talking again, with more confidence in his words.

"Until recently, when you came here to talk to me. The empty feeling disappeared, and was replaced with something new. And then I realized, I only get this warm feeling around you. I don't know what it is, or where it came from, but it makes everything else dissipate. I-I just don't know."

Wow, that's....

"That's odd..."

"Hm?"

"I feel the same way..."

Listening to Nickel talk about his feelings, they were the EXACT same ones I was going through! And...I think I know what that sensation of warmness and familiarity is.

It's called love.

I love Nickel.

Nickel's POV

I can't believe I just did that. I just revealed everything I was feeling, right to Baseball. I'm such an idiot. I noticed that he was staring out into space for a while, so I asked him, "Hey dude? You okay?"

Then, out of absolutely NOWHERE, he kisses me!!!! I feel my cheeks heating up really fast as his lips press against mine. I'm in total shock right now, I want to react, I want to pull away from him, but my brain just won't let me. Or is it something else?

Finally, he pulls away from me, his face as shocked as mine, and probably as red too. I can hear myself breathing heavily, but it's silent. We sit there for a while, none of us speaking to each other, until Baseball breaks the quiet.

"Sorry, I just... I've held this feeling in for a long time, the one you just mentioned, it blooms inside of me every moment I spend with you, happy or sad. It drives me to be with you, to stay with you, be the best person I could be, just for you. Nickel, I... I love you Nickel, I love you with all my heart."

H-he loves me!? He-he actually loves me... The strange feeling inside me is suddenly so familiar to me now, and it bursts forth, I now realise what it is!

It's love. I love Baseball. The same way he loves me.

Without thinking, I quickly get up on my feet and kiss Baseball. I close my eyes and press my lips onto his, pushing all my feelings for him into it, kissing him for as long and as hard as I can before breaking away.

I gaze at Baseball, his face is as red as a tomato, and he's smiling at me. I quickly look down, trying to get my feelings in check. To be honest, that was very unexpected. I didn't want to do that! No wait, yes I did. I need to stop concealing my feelings from others, especially to Baseball.

Slowly, I scoot over to him, resting my head on his side. He doesn't object, in fact, it feels like he's snuggling into me! Is it bad that I like it? I grasp his foot, and feel myself drifting off to sleep. But before that happens, I whisper to him, "I'm not ever going to be the same without you."

Right before I completely close my eyes, I hear his warm, quiet breath say, "Ditto."