Rabbit Hole Carnival: Daydream

“Hey, Renee?” Cel asked, as she went outside with Nick. “You alright, Hun.”

“What?” Renee replied. “Oh geez. I spaced out hard, huh?”

“What um… What happened?” Nick asked. “You took your afternoon break, and just hung out on the Balcony afterwards.”

“I’m fine. I was just a little too deep into a memory.” Renee said.

“What memory?” Cel Said.

“It’s more memories, I guess.” Renee Replied. Those nights you pushed me toward coming here.”

“That was you?” Nick asked.

“I didn’t know that at the time, but if that's what she says.” Cel said, and thought for a moment before her eyes widened. “It was that?”

Renee just nodded. “Cody did it too, and got lost trying to remember which one really got to me.”

“What night did you leave?” Susie said as she walked up with Cody.

“A week before I was 18.” Renee answered back.

“It was both of them.” Susie replied. “Or at least it would be impossible for even me to say which statement got to you the most, or maybe one enhanced the other. My guess would be both got into your mind, and then that whole Mike scene happened, and with all that brewing you just decided enough.”

“Okay, first off all of you explain whether to use your nicknames or real names when your together.” Nick said.

“Doesn’t matter.” Cel Replied, with all of them before continuing. “We did it ‘cause we were all alone together in highschool. Renee was the one to write the group up and the names, and made the title of the group. Number 5, Alchemy could make literally anything into the best tea. I was always the one pushing the group into things, thus I became number one, Starchart. Cody, is always getting into the middle of fight and taking every hit possible, so he was named Shield, and given the number 3 Joshua used to always be ready with a joke, thus the name Clown. And always stepped in just after if not before me, thus number 2.”

“And Renee just liked the number 4, so that's the number she took.” Susie finished. “But you’ve seen her, if she really puts her mind to it she can draw and/or write up pretty much any idea. So after she brought the idea to us, and didn’t wanna pick her own name. We decided to call her Penmanship. And later Pen for short, But it was always the 5 of us together so we just kept the in joke up.”

“And you’re sure it was both that led me to coming here that night?” Renee asked.

“It was a combo of everything.” Susie replied. “You had that tea I made you all day. And Cel came to you, and I dunno what that fight you had was about but it was big.”

"Oh god,” Cel replied, and then covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Renee replied. “It was something I needed to hear, which is why Cody agreed with you. Granted I didn’t tell him the exact words.”

“That was it?” Cody asked.

“That was it. I went back to that house with the words “Why can’t you just accept people love you.” burning in my mind, and Mike just slapped me on my right cheek.” Renee replied. “I was already about to cry, and was just gonna curl up in my room.”

Cel hugged her. “Right or not. I Should have said it better, and was just angry.”

“You can think if you want to.” Nick said. “But if you shouting that at her got her stumbling into this bar that night, there are worse things in the world.”

“I was still angry about it, but I do think Cody worded it better.” Renee replied. “Though he ended up shouting at me about embracing that people like me too. And then I went home, and, and ended up walking alone in the middle of the night into this bar.”

“Well you seem so much happier.” Susie replied. “So I said it worked out.”

“I do too.” Renee replied, hugging Cel back.