Chapter 20 - Objection!

Rikki POV

"Should you have said those things?" I asked Boris. We had just got done from talking to Leah and Elliot, now heading back to the park, and Leah now seemed mad with what Boris had said earlier. She does know we were just joking, right?

"Think about it! Now we have some juicy gossip! She wouldn't have gotten so mad unless she did like someone- like Elliot! Or atleast someone." Boris laughed at his epiphany. His eyes twinkled with mischeif and his devilish smile spread from ear to ear, truly looking like his role of the Cheshire Cat, even just for a moment.

"Or maybe she doesn't like anyone and you're just thinking too much of this." I sighed. It wasn't like Leah to fall for someone, not once has she ever admitted to liking someone. She said she would never fall in love because she didn't want a man to help her- she said she was strong enough to take care of herself... or something along those lines.

Boris frowned at my objection, sad I had crushed his sudden realization. "Nope. I refuse to believe such a thing! Or maybe she is just too uptight- she needs to relax." He admitted. "Maybe someone from Clover Tower? She did seem pretty eager to head back there." He snickered, really wanting to spread some sort of love rumour of Leah.

I sighed and decided to block out Boris' rambled of who Leah could possibly like. I already knew the answer, but Boris refused to believe me. Maybe I was wrong, but that doesn't mean he's right.

"What about you?" Boris asked, calming down from his rant, growing quite serious. So serious, his voice snapped me out of my train of thought, reminding me we were still heading back, back to the farthest side of the park where the rooms were. "Who do you like?" He asked.

I laughed at what he was asking. "No one, silly! None of us have any intentions of falling in love!" I laughed at the mere thought of us even crushing on a man. Leah was way too independant, no one could ever like me, and Audrey was afraid of falling in love. "But I like, as friends, a lot of people." I whispered. Hopefully Boris understood that that meant him too.

He stopped in his tracks. "I find it hard to believe... None of you have fallen in love?" His voice was barely audible, I think he was talking to himself. He glanced at me with a soft gaze. "I wonder how far you are?" He questioned, again in such a low whisper I had to strain to hear him correctly.

I set my eyes at the ground, my heart panging guiltly. If only he knew... "I-If you kne-" I paused, chuckling nervously, unsure if I should continue. But Boris' attentive gaze practically begged me to continue, so I swallowed my fears. "If you knew the sh*t we've been through... then you'd understand." I whispered, my stomach chruning uneasily at the memories.

"Tell me. Maybe it'll make things easier." He whispered, placing a gloved hand on my shoulder, I think trying to comfort me. It was like it was just the two of us, like no one else in the world existed, like we weren't standing in the middle of the park with everyone probably staring at us, probably wondering why a foreigner was practically reduced to tears and one of the cheeriest role holders was so serious.

I felt myself running, my feet pounding against the ground. Though where or why I was running, I was not sure. I closed my eyes and let my mind run wild and my feet carry me where they were taking me. Of course, maybe that wasn't such a bright idea.

I finally looked up to see where I was going and I saw only shadows, darkness, and trees. I slowed my pace from a run to a walk to figure out where I was. I heard music... and I soon saw a bright light lighting up my path.

"You must be one of the foreigners." A new, unfamiliar voice echoed. He had blazing crimson spiked hair, a black jester hat and costume. A black eyepatch, showing only one of his crimson eyes. He also had this interesting belt with a white mask on it.

"Yes. And who are you?" I asked with sincere curiosity, he had a face so he was a role holder, but I thought I met all of the role holders? "My name's Rikki." I whispered as the man smiled with false interest.

"Finally, I was wondering when one of the foreigners would come and visit me, I'm Joker. And you are in Circus Forest, my dear." Joker told me. Wait, I never heard of this territory! Was this the territory I was told to stay away from? If so, then I wonder why? Sure Joker seemed creepy, but he seemed nice enough.

"I've been told there are three effing foreigners, and it's taken this long to meet one? What the h*ll?" The mask yelled, startling me. Was the mask talking about Leah, Audrey, and I?

"I didn't know they created talking belts." I whispered, slightly stupified and awed at the contraption, wondering if I was just hearing things.

"Talking belt? B*tch I'm as real as you!" The mask countered. "And I have a name ya know, it's Joker." The mask growled as I stared at it dumbfoundedly. I must be hearing things- right?

"Aw Joker- don't confuse her!" Joker whined. Too late, I'm already too confused. Joker and the mask Joker continued to bicker back and forth while I just started open-mouth in confusion. Why was I told to not come here again?

"Riiight-" I was going to tell them I had to go, but someone had wrapped their arms around me and spun me around so I was behind said person. I now faced his back, realizing said person was Boris as I saw a punk outfit with pink cat ears and tail. I didn't hear anything he said, as I was still in a confused daze.

Whatever Boris had said had angered the Jokers as he had taken out a whip, wherever he got that from, aiming it at me. But what did I do? But Boris pushed me and told me to run, all of this seemed to be going in slow motion, or maybe going way too fast. I no longer had a clue.

I know I was running again through the dark forest... or was I? I couldn't tell if it was just that dark or if I had my eyes closed again, but I concluded it was just that dark when I was whacked in the face with a branch forcing me to close my eyes and reopen them to the same darkness.

Though not once do I believe we were ever being chased, I continued to run. I heard Boris somewhere behind me. I was shocked I had not yet tripped or ran into a tree yet, but best not to jynx myself I suppose.

I felt my feet at an edge of something, but my feet didn't stop as they left ground and into air. I screamed at the top of my lungs as I fell off an edge, hearing an echo, knowing Boris wasn't far behind.

Oh how gravity hated me.