CHAPTER 1 || Solitude in the Downpour

Instructions

"I suppose I'll chase storms alone." --- The morning sun never did reach my room- if the space behind the gift shop even counted as a room. Each window was blocked by tons of boxes of items that I was far too lazy to unpack. I think one of those boxes may have had spare umbrellas? I don't know. I couldn't care to check. I fell out of my unmade bed. The blanket wasn't tucked in, and the sheets were coming undone, but it was comfortable. I should probably set up the shop for the day. Oh wait. I almost forgot, I don't need to. The daycare is shut down. No one comes to my shop anymore, except for the occasional mascot. Never Icicle, though. I wish I could let go... it's good that I haven't seen her. I don't want to. Not ever again. "It's better for the both of us!" She told me when we had our fallout. Right. RIGHT. It's better for her. Not me. Now I'm alone. Now I have no one. I don't know who to blame for that, but it feels wrong to blame her. I yawned and stood up. Time for another day of... nothing. ... I glanced up at a skylight. It was snowing, ever so slightly. I guess it was winter. I wouldn't know. Time seems out of touch to me. I don't even remember how long ago the daycare shut down. I sat at my shop, as if parents and children would come rushing up to me, eager to purchase plushies and other merch. "Hey, Rainey." I jumped at the voice. It was Podzie! Oh, possibly my favorite mascot at the moment. "Oh! H-hi Podzie..." I mumbled. Social interaction was not my specialty. "You're okay, right?" Podzie asked me. I giggled. "Of course I am... What kind of question is-" I started. Podzie interrupted me. "You zoned out for about an hour there, and I was a bit scared." A- an hour? Surely not... I had only sat there for a couple of minutes! How could I... EVER explain that? "Ha- I was just, uh, thinking!" I responded. I was a bit confused. She gave me a wary look. "Okay... If you need to talk or something, we're all here for you." She told me. She walked off, nervously glancing back a few times, before walking around a corner and out of my sight. I wanted her to stay. I wanted to talk to her for longer. But no, I couldn't muster the words to get her to be close to me. As I settled into a more comfortable position in the cushioned chain of the giftshop, I noticed Icicle walking past. I froze. She saw me too. She looked at me as if she was about to say something. About to apologize, mayhaps? But no. She just sighed, and continued walking. Then I saw Kishi. He was waving to her. Oh. That's why she was out here. Not for me. My matching friendship bracelet to Icicle's broken one clung tight to my wrist. I stood up. I went back to my room and slipped off my bracelet. I can let go. I can do that. I am my own person, I don't need others. But I stared at that bracelet. I stared, I stared, and I stared. And I put it back on. And as I walked back out to the shop, it was noon already. I looked back up at the skylight. The once dazzling layer of snow on it was now ruined by a heavy downpour of rain. How filthy. --- End of chapter 1! (AUTHOR NOTES BELOW) ... Hey everyone! It's Mink! Honestly, I'm really happy Awake is finally being written, and I'm so excited to participate in it and see everyone else's parts! Also, uh... sorry if I mischaracterized your character... I tried my best DX yeah that's it