"I don't ever want to talk to you again." Hedgehog couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her childhood best friend, who she had been together with ever since they were babies didn't want to speak to her anymore. He didn't want her anymore.
"Wait, Oscar! what are talking about? I don't understand." She didn't understand what was happening, this wasn't him. This wasn't her Oscar. Someone was pushing him into this, forcing him to say all these awful things. Had to be. "Please, Oscar. Just talk to me please."
"Oh, I don't need you anymore hedgehog. I have max now." The boy smiles and Max appears behind Him, wrapping his arms around his chest as he holds him close. "We're just not compatible anymore. But you'll probably find someone someday."
"Yeah. Someone who would love you. Or even could." Max sneers and they begin to laugh at her expense. She breaks down, tears rolling down her cheeks as she falls to her knees. Not only is Oscar abandoning her, but he was choosing Max after all this time. It was already bad enough that Max hadn't returned her feelings but now he was actively stealing her friend. Her only real friend.
"No Oscar please don't go. I'm sorry." She was on her knees now in tears begging him to stay but they kept laughing at her. Mocking her. Destined to be alone. "Oscar, wait. Oscar. Oscar."
"Hedgehog? Hedgehog, wake up." Oscar shakes Hedgehog awake. He noticed the girl twisting, turning, and thrashing around in her sleep. He knew he shouldn't have tried to wake her up in that state but heavy concern and fear for her safety forced his weary hand.
"Wha-what? Oscar?" She had woken up confused, bewildered, and a little light-headed. "Oscar, what's wrong?" She says, pulling him into a tight hug. Though she was the one in distress, the worried look on her friend's face couldn't be ignored. "Did something happen?"
"Um-you were just screaming in your sleep." He was barely able to speak through Hedgehogs abrupt, iron clade, protective mama-bear hug. "You kept calling my name. Were you having a nightmare?"
"Oh..." She stops for a brief instant. "Yeah, I was." She spoke lowly, recalling the awful dream. Remembering what her subconscious had told her about herself. 'you'll probably find someone someday. Someone who would love you. Who could.' It plays in her mind over and over again like a broken record until Oscar snaps her out of the daze, she was ensconced in.
"Uh, hedgehog I can't breathe." The boy huffed on the verge of passing out in her tight squeeze.
"Oh, sorry Oscar." She blushes, letting go of her friend and a cheeky smile crosses her lips. Hedgehog was a bit mortified by her actions. She had good reason to be so clingy even if she couldn't say why. She didn't know what she would do if Oscar had gone and piled out of her life. She never wanted to let him go, she couldn't. Not now. Not ever. "Ah yeah. I had a bad dream."
"Was it about me? I bet it was about me." He says leaning off of the bed Where Hedgehog had dropped him. He was smiling and giggling like he always did, always so disconnected from the suffering around him. She envied that about Oscar. She wishes she could be more like that sometimes. Going through it all without a care in the world.
"Yeah, Oscar it was." She chuckles at his sharp observation of her morning ramblings. He could be smart when he wanted to. Though most of the time when he was, it was completely unintentional.
"I knew it. How was it? Was it bad?" He continues his detective work, prying her for information on the recent nightmare of himself no less.
"No. Not really. I'll tell you later." She didn't really want to remember the dream. The last thing she wanted was to be reminded of how she could end up alone. Without Oscar. She wouldn't lose him. She wouldn't because he wouldn't just leave her. It wasn't like him to do that; he was too sweet. Even to the people who never really liked him so much.
"Oh, Ok well. I'm always here if you need to talk." He had rolled onto the floor and was resting on his forearms to batter see her from where he lay on the wooden ground. She appreciated the sentiment. She does still wonder how he could be so nonchalant about everything. He was just caught up in a tight hug on the edge of unconscious and was now laying on his cabin floor with a bubbly smile still on his face. How could he be so happy all the time? That's a skill she wouldn't mind learning and even thinks if there could be a spell for that sort of thing.
"Sure, Oscar. Thanks." She spoke with a relieved sigh as the familiar sound of her stomach rumbling signaled that it was starving while she was busy talking her head off. "Uhh, I'm hungry. Let's go get something."
"Sure, I could eat," Oscar said, rising to his feet. His pajamas cough out bits of dust once he comes to stand in front of Hedgehog.
"Oscue, you really need to clean youa flooa man." The set of sentient pajamas wheezes as their coughing starts up once again.
"Oh, sorry Jamas." Oscar places a hand over the set's face to make sure they were alright. "Can we get Max?" Oscar was still somewhat obsessed with his new friend. Recently, he would always suggest getting Max first before they did anything. It never mattered what it was. However, Hedgehog didn't feel like being around the bat at the moment and she defiantly didn't him to be around Oscar for that matter.
"I think Max can meet us there." She still harbored some unknown hate for the bat. Well maybe not hate, but there was still some major discontent to be found with him. It's not like she didn't like him. She just doesn't necessarily like him right now.
"Oh. Are you sure?" Oscar tilted his head in confusion. He thinks it's weird that she doesn't want to go retrieve their friend for something like breakfast. Maybe it had something to do with the dream she had or last night maybe.
"Yes, I'm sure Oscar. He doesn't need us to get him every time we do something. Goa you didn't even like him when we first got her-..." Hedgehog cut off her rant before it could get any further. She was frustrated, not really with Oscar but with Max and the situation as a whole. She wasn't actually ready to be near him yet. "Please, Oscar. Can't it just be us today?"
"Uh...yeah... it's been a while anyway." He says happy to oblige his friend. If it were anyone else, he probably would anyway. But he would do it even more for Hedgehog. "You know. Since it was just us hanging out."
"Right Oscar. I know." She brings her legs over the side of the bed and slightly recoils as she touches the cold wooden floor. "Hey. Let's get there fast. Before all the good stuff is gone." She walks over to where her clothes sat. Folded neatly and placed on a chair in a far-off corner of the cabin.
They start to dress in the clothes they seemed to wear every day all the while her mind was cluttered with the thought of spending time with Oscar. It really has been some time since they hung out with just each other. Everyone seemed to want him for something, whether it was for help or just to have fun, she couldn't have Oscar to herself anymore.
She was dressed almost in an instant. Oscar never really cared about much but making sure he was dressed properly was one of the rarer things her friend actually put some more thought into. She never understood why but she'd never bring it up.
"Gosh, I'm actually starving." Hedgehog held her hands to her grumbling stomach. "Don't worry, soon enough." She whispers, patting a hand over her stomach to calm the loud thing down, and looks back up at Oscar. "Oscar, hurry up."
"Right sorry Hedgehog." The boy pats down his undershirt before bringing his sweater over his head and letting it fall lazily over himself. "Sorry." He apologizes once more when he brings his head through the hole of his sweater. "I'm ready."
As Hedgehog goes to open the cabin door to finally begin the day with Oscar, someone she was far from expecting to see at this point in time was already outside waiting. Max was at the door with his hand in a fist no doubt about to knock before it opened up unexpectedly.
He looked as equally surprised as Hedgehog did then. He wasn't expecting her to be there, not so early at least. He had contemplated leaving then, until he sees Oscar come up behind her and into view.
"Max! We were actually just talking about you." He says passing Hedgehog by to meet the other boy outside. "Isn't that crazy hedgehog?" He turns back to face her with a wide, delighted grin.
"Yeah. Real crazy." She said staring diggers at the bat boy. Why was he here? This was supposed to be a private affair between her and Oscar. But he was here standing in front of them outside of Oscar's cabin. "We would love to chat. but me and Oscar are actu-"
"Cool, now you can come with us." Oscar interrupts, cutting her off suddenly and seemingly forgetting their plan for it, just being them, today.
"Oscar. What about our time together?" She lightly tugs at his arm, trying to remind him of the initial plan. That it was just supposed to be them and nobody else, if only for a little bit. Try as she might, the elephant seemed too focused on Max to listen.
"If this is a bad time I understand." Max had never felt more uncomfortable in his life. He was alright with leaving if they said so and he kind of hoped they would, but at the same time, he didn't want to go.
"We were just going to the mess hall. Nothing big." Oscar insisted he come with them so how could Max resist? He had to go. He would just have to put up with Hedgehog and her visibly seething anger for him at the moment. "We don't mind. Right, hedgehog?"
"Yeah... Right..." She hadn't planned on anyone joining them and especially not Max. Though asking him in a not-so-polite manner to buzz off probably wasn't her best play right now. She was going to have to put up with his company for the time being. He might even go off to do his own thing after a while. If only she knew his plan's today all revolved around Oscar.
The day was beautiful. The sun shone brightly, hanging in the sky just above the clouds. It wasn't too hot out, if anything it was downright perfect. Knowing how bad it could get on the Island Hedgehog would count the warm weather as a blessing. Considering they keep the sun happy, so it didn't threaten to melt them down to the bone that is.
As they walk hedgehog would notice how strange Max was acting with Oscar. He was always standing a little too close to the other boy. He would laugh at everything that came out of Oscar's mouth whether it was a joke or just Oscar being Oscar, he was head over heels. Max even kept stealing sideways glances whenever he thought Oscar wasn't looking. Truth be told, the way the bat was acting. The googoo eyes, the uncontrollable laughter. It reminded her of herself and Max.
Hedgehog didn't like where this was going. It was already happening; he was pursuing Oscar. She thought he said he didn't want him to know or anyone for that matter. She doesn't know what he thinks he's doing but she will get an answer.
"Hey, Max." She pulls his arm, holding him back and letting Oscar walk unknowingly ahead of them. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" Her tone was calm and collected but her grip on the boy's arm spoke otherwise. She glances at him, looking him up and down while keeping a hand to his. She wanted to know why he was torturing her like this all of a sudden.
"What do you mean?" That answer wasn't good enough for her. He knew exactly what she meant. He just didn't want to admit it.
Max's uncaring attitude and seemingly unknowing ignorance of his actions just made Hedgehog even angrier than she was before. He knew, she knew what she was talking about, and she wasn't going to have him dance around it like he thought he could. "I mean what are trying to do with Oscar?" She said looking at Oscar to make sure he was still ahead of them. "I thought you said you weren't going to tell him?"
"Yeah, but what's really wrong with hanging out with a friend?" Even though he was caught red-handed, he would deny that anything had changed and that his mind was still set on keeping his secret. Even though she said Oscar might not understand, that didn't mean he wouldn't get it eventually. She was confident that Max knew that.
"Yeah right. I see the way you act around him, how you look at him." She says putting her detective skills to work. "You remained me of me. and I know what you're up to."
"And So, what? I like him, so I at least think I have the right to try." He snaps back at her. Who was she to say who got to be with Oscar she wasn't his mother or his keeper. She was just another friend like all of his other friends.
"I tried with you and look what happened." The tension hung heavy between the two. They were two opposing armies vying for what they saw as a piece of land. Territory to be conquered and held by no one other than one of them.
Things between the two looked like they were about to escalate. But before any kind of conflict could arise, Oscar's voice would cut through to them after noticing the friends, or lack thereof, around him. "Hey, guys. What are you waiting for!? Food remembers!" He shouts back to them, snapping the newly formed rivals out of their hypnotic angry glares at one another. They would save their conflict for another time. Preferably away from Oscar.
Once they reached the mess hall, Max decided to make the first move by getting the door for them effectively taking the first step in securing Oscar for himself. The war had just begun, and Hedgehog wasn't going to take the first shots laying down.
As they enter, they notice that there weren't that many kids inside which she thinks is excellent. That meant they were still early, and all the good breakfast items were still available. They walk into the hall, Max on one side of Oscar and Hedgehog on the other. Neither of them wanted to be near each other and had subconsciously decided that it would be best if they were separated by Oscar.
"Hey, Oscar," Hedgehog says as she looks at him. "Why don't you find us a seat? And I'll bring you, your food." She had an advantage over Max in this regard. She knew exactly what kind of person he was, from knowing his favorite food right down to the underwear he wore. If Max truly was trying to still her friend away, he didn't stand a chance.
"Oh, don't worry hedgehog. I can get his food for him." Max eagerly blurts. He was challenging her for the heart of her friend. She thinks that's adorable in a sad way.
"You don't even know what he likes." Hedgehog growls. She couldn't believe he would even try this with her now. He must be desperate.
"Yeah. And you know everything he wants." He says calling attention to her supposed ownership of the elephant.
"Aww, thanks, guy. You're the best." Oscar gushes, completely unaware of the tension between his friends. "Don't worry I'll find us the best spot." He makes his way through the empty mess hall to find seats for the three, leaving Hedgehog and Max in a glaring fit.
"No problem." They both speak simultaneously. Looking at one another, neither one determined to give an inch of ground.
Max takes off first thinking that if he could get out ahead of her that there would be no need for favorite foods at all. So long as he reached Oscar first, that's all that would matter.
She runs behind him shortly after. She hadn't been expecting him to move as quick as he did but that doesn't stop her from catching up. He may have been the athletic one but he wasn't the only athlete on the Island.
They raced toward the front grabbing their trays and an extra tray for Oscar. They had planned to just fill his tray up with extra food since there was no one else there for the time being, they could take all of the best stuff. They waste no time filling Oscar's tray and getting in each other's way in the process.
"God! Stop crowding me, what's wrong with you," Hedgehog grumbles as she shoves an elbow into Max's side. Fairly roughly she might add.
"Stop crowing you?" He responds with a rough shove of his own. "Stop crowding me you witch." He hissed. Max wasn't exactly far off but she still thinks the insult was uncalled for.
When they finished packing two separate plates for Oscar, they rush over to him as fast as they could. hedgehog nearly trips over her own feet due to how fast she had been moving to keep up with Max.
Their unsanctioned and irregular foot race would come to an end once they place the food-staked trays right in front of the boy. Thanks to their fighting each of them had only managed to grab the food that was right in front of them to not get so close to each other.
They had gotten an extra hit of everything for Oscar practically forgetting their own food as they did. Hedgehog had gotten him bacon, scrambled eggs, and the most pancakes she could fit. Max on the other hand had gotten him French toast, hash browns, the last three breakfast sandwiches, waffles, and basically anything else he thought Oscar might enjoy.
"So, Oscar. Who did better? It was me, right? Obviously." she said, resting an elbow on the table with a raised brow and a cocky sideways smirk. Though Max had more food than her, she had made the better choices.
"Yeah right. No one hates French toast. He obviously wants this tray." Max said, pushing Hedgehogs tray away and bringing the one he had staked into view, and she pushes it back. They both start pushing at each tray in front of Oscar and urging him to make a choice.
"Wow, guys. this is nice and all...but I don't think I can eat it all by myself." Instead of choosing whose tray was best, he goes to pick up his own and takes his favorite foods from each of them. "There. Now I have my food and you guys can have the rest. Cause I noticed you guys didn't get anything."
"Oh... Oscar." Hedgehog was the first to reply. She felt a bit embarrassed with the whole ordeal. Of course, Oscar would never leave her for someone else. It wasn't like him to abandon his friends. Hedgehog thinks maybe she was just overreacting.
"Yeah, thanks Oscar," Max says softly. No girl had ever made him act like this or made him feel the way he felt. No boy for that matter so he knew there was definitely something special about Oscar.
"Hey uh...hey Max I-" As she was on the verge of considering an apology, Oliver would step up to their table, interrupting Hedgehogs thought process. He had been looking for her and needed to tell her something.
"Hey, hedgehog." He smiles at her. His cheeks carried a slight blush. He does his best to keep eye contact with her, but it never sticks for some odd reason. "Betsy's looking for you." He said setting at the same table as the group on the opposite end.
"What? What for?" She wasn't expecting a magic lesson so soon especially not after just getting her wand. And why so early in the morning at that?
"I don't know. She just said she needs your help." Oliver said, taking food off of her plate instead of getting his own.
"Uhh, fine. I'm sorry Oscar... I have to go." She apologized to the boy. Her plan to spend the day with him was now moot.
"No problem I'll just hang out with Max." When she hears the words, she could only think how perfect things must be going for Max right now. And how Oscar would end up abandoning her anyway. If she was always away and the only other person to hang out with was the bat, why wouldn't he leave?
"Oh...right I'll see you later" she waves at him, clearly defeated. Max had won this time around but there won't be any unknown variables for their next encounter. She'll make sure of that.
