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Suitcase sat at the docks quietly, her head a mess of a million scattered thoughts. She'd finally stood up for herself, but at a cost…Baseball would barely look her way anymore. He was close to Nickel and tended to take his side, but Suitcase didn't expect him to be this somber after his elimination. They should be excited about being in the Final 4, right?
But Suitcase wasn't. She felt so empty. She always felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and now that the weight was gone she didn't know what to do. She saw how strong and confident Microphone had been when leaving the show. Why couldn't Suitcase be like that? Why can't Suitcase be so strong?
“You will never be as strong as her. You can barely stand on your own two feet by yourself. It's an embarrassment, honestly,” Nickel's voice taunted. Suitcase jumped and frantically looked around for where the voice had come from. No one was there. Just Suitcase.
Why was she like this? Well, she knew why, she'd been experiencing hallucinations for a long time. They had just gotten more and more frequent since she'd started competing on Inanimate Insanity. This show had both destroyed her and built her back up.
Light footsteps could be heard behind Suitcase. She turns around, wondering if they're even real.
“Hey, Suitcase, I snuck here to see if you're doing okay…” It was Balloon, worry written all over his face. He didn't look very good himself. Well, she would always find her boyfriend attractive, but he looked almost sickly.
“I don't think I've been okay for a while, Loony….” She admitted, patting the spot next to her. Balloon took a seat.
“Well, I'm all ears,” Balloon told her, “Wait, do we have ears?” He took a moment to ponder that before shaking it off.
“I…feel so weak. I'm not strong enough to be here. I'm not as strong as Microphone, or Knife, or even Lightbulb! They're all so strong and did what was right for them, but I'm here feeling guilty after I tried to do the same. Balloon, I don't care if I win the million anymore! I just want this to end!” Suitcase let everything spill out, “I just want to stop hating myself! I want to just…be normal.”
Balloon was stunned, but understood where she was coming from.
“I understand what you mean, sorta. Everyone hated me so much that I started hating myself too. I hated myself for every little screw up, every mean comment I'd made in the past. I've been trying to get better, and everyone else but me has been accepted but me! I don't know what I did to deserve so much hate! Knife burned Marshmallow alive last season but we left that behind!” Balloon ranted, getting worked up. He felt more comfortable letting it all spill to the girl he loved. Suitcase had been the only one to be there for him through thick and thin. Balloon felt her leg nudge his hand. He gently placed his hand on top of her leg.
“Balloon…. I don't know how we'll be happy if we're always jealous of others who are better than us. They always will be better than us, and I don't know how to fix it,” Suitcase told him, trying not to cry. Trying not to break into a thousand pieces and sob into his lap. Trying to prove that she could be strong.
“Suit, I don't know what to do either. I feel so lost….I'm allowed at the hotel, but I still feel like an outsider. It's better than being homeless, and yet…It still feels just as lonely, you know?” Balloon hadn't admitted that to anyone before her.
“I understand …Sometimes, you can be at your loneliest even when surrounded by a crowd,” Suitcase suggested. She knew how it felt to be isolated despite being surrounded by people. It was a feeling she'd learned all too well when in the alliance. Nickel made her feel like she was nothing, like she could only rely on him and Baseball out of everyone in the game. If only she could just go back and undo her choice to join their alliance.
“Hey Suitcase…maybe this isn't all too bad…” Balloon told her. She looked up at him, curious to where he was going with it.
“I mean, our situation is terrible, but I heard somewhere that if you suffer in this life you'll be rewarded in the next. Reborn as someone better,” Balloon explained. He couldn't place where he'd heard it, but it gave him hope. However, it gave Suitcase an idea. She stared down at the deep dark abyss known as the lake, where she'd been nearly drowned months prior. Her hallucinations had bothered her again…Suitcase just wished they would go away.
“Hey Balloon…..” Suitcase tried to catch his attention, which was already fixed on her anyways. He had been watching her every move, paying attention to body language. He'd taken note that Suitcase shook a lot, never really staying still. Her eyes tended to wander as well, always watching for something.
“Yes, mi amor?” He'd been trying out sappy couple nicknames since they'd gotten together. Suitcase's face flushed a bit, distracted for a split second. That made Balloon's face break into a small smile.
“What if…we went to that next life now?” She suggested, alluding to her plan. Balloon blinked a few times, making sure he'd heard her correctly. Did she mean…she probably did, concerning how their discussion was going. But..Balloon wasn't exactly opposed.
“Are…are you sure, Suitcase?” He stammered, deciding to make sure he'd heard her correctly. She nods. She didn't think she'd ever been so sure of something in her life.
“Soulmates find each other, Balloon. We'll meet again,” Suitcase said, her voice breaking ever so slightly. She wanted a way out, but she loved Balloon so dearly.
“I'll go with you then,” He stood up, his hand moving to one of her straps. She gave him a gentle nod, tears in her eyes. He held onto her strap.
“We'll be better people. Have better circumstances. And we'll meet again. Love is a bond stronger than life and death,” Balloon said, remembering that he wrote something similar in one of his poems. He loved reading his poems to Suitcase. She actually kept some of his poems pinned up inside of her. They meant the world to Suitcase.
Balloon meant the world to Suitcase. Suitcase meant the world to Balloon. They'll love each other even when leaving this world.
“Are you ready?” Suitcase asked him, tears streaming down her face. Balloon wipes the tears from her eyes, despite the fact that tears had started to pour from his own. She moved her leg up and wiped his tears as best she could.
“I'm ready…Te amo, mi vida,” Balloon said to his girlfriend, looking into her eyes. Those beautiful, stunning eyes he got lost in so often softened.
“I love you too, my Loony.” That was the last thing Suitcase said before the two plunged into the water. It was frigid, yet welcoming for the doomed young couple. They were so, so young yet hated by the world and themselves. However, they would never be hated by each other.
Suitcase and Balloon locked blurry eyes. Suitcase kept all of the bad things away, just focusing on the boy she loved. Balloon didn't have any regrets looking into her eyes. This would be better for both of them.
Even as it got hard to breathe and their vision grew spotty, they focused on each other. At least they had each other.
Soulmates always find each other.