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Meena never was a brave elephant, like her family members. She tried to be the Mighty and Marvelous Meena, but she often felt more like the Mild and Mumbling Meena whenever she was in public. For a while, she had grown to be just confident enough to hang out with her new friends, those being Ash and Johnny. A few others had joined their theater group, but Meena knew it would take another year or so before she felt confident sitting with them. For the time being, she was content, sitting with Ash and Johnny.
Except, she wasn't always. Sitting with them one on one was fine at first, but eventually she started feeling nervous when she was sitting with Ash. She would catch herself staring too long, and wondering what it would feel like to hold her hand and hug her. It's not like friends couldn't do that, right? But soon, her thoughts changed again. She wanted to softly kiss Ash, the way she had seen Ash do with her ex-boyfriend years ago when they first met, the way she had originally wanted to do with Alfonso before they drifted apart and became more friendly than romantic.
Her heart ached at the daydreams. Finally, she stopped Johnny one day and asked for help.
"Hey, uh, Johnny? Can I ask you something?"
The gorilla turned and faced his friend, giving her a smile and letting it falter slightly when he took into account how anxious she was. "Sure. Everything okay?"
Meena nodded, and made her way to one of the small private practice areas back stage. "How do you.. tell someone you like them when you're absolutely terrified to?"
He sat down on a bench in the room, rubbing his arms in thought. "Well, Ryan confessed to me, so...."
"I know, but you're the only one I can ask. I can't ask Ash, and I don't know Porsha or Nooshy well enough to ask them.." She murmured, and he hummed in thought.
"I imagine Ash would be the best person to ask about this, but I'm assuming it's her, so... maybe we should ask miss Rosita?" Johnny suggested, and Meena rolled her eyes back.
"No way! I can't ask Rosita. It would be way too awkward." She whined, and he knew she was right so sat in thought. "If I ask Alfonso, he thinks I'll mean him, Gunter would NOT give good advice, I know Mr. Moon and Eddie both wouldn't give great advice. You're the only one I can ask!"
The two brainstormed for a moment before gasping. "Oh, I know! Just gimme a minute." Johnny chattered, pulling his phone out and hitting FaceTime on a familiar number. After a moment, Darius answered, striking a pose and smirking.
"Hello, Johnny. Have you finally reconsidered my offer?" He asked in a flirtatious voice, as someone behind Darius was brushing and styling his hair. When his eyes darted over and spotted Meena, he yelped. "Oh, you're here, too. You're the one that hit me with your trunk!"
"It was an accident!" She insisted, sighing. "Look, I need to ask you something, Darius. What do I do to show someone I really like them when I'm terrified to?"
Darius snorted. "Oh I see. First, you smack me with your trunk and then you ask me out? That's not really cool, Media."
"It's Meena! And I'm not asking you out, I'm asking out A..!..someone else!" She stopped herself from giving away her crush, but Darius didn't seem to notice.
"Well, I'd probably just tell 'em." He answered plainly, picking at his teeth, before sitting up. "Or I would buy them something really nice. It has to be expensive of course, but also something... personal to them." He talked with his hands and sat up. "Oh, or you could steal one of the letters from the massive Calatonia sign and deliver it their house!"
Meena rolled her eyes. "Well, I can't do that... I already have a few crimes on my record for helping Mr. Moon set the theater up before. But I guess getting her a heartfelt gift would would...."
Darius sat up, pointing his finger at his phone. "Hey, I didn't suggest stealing anything, I don't know what you're yappin' about. But seriously, just do some grand gesture of love, like in the movies. Like in my movies. Watch a few of them and use those ideas, and don't forget to leave a review for them on my inst-" Johnny clicked and hung up the FaceTime call.
"So, a gift is what you're going with?"
Humming, Meena seemed to still be unsure. "I think so. I'm trying to think of what kind of gift I should give her, though...she already has a few different guitars, and I don't wanna ask for her clothing size for anything.. with her birthday coming up, I could probably make it look like just another gift, and then just tell her my feelings!" She said bravely, before her face fell. "Or, I'll write it in a card. That seems like a better idea."
Johnny snorted. "Come on, let's go down to Pawmart and see what we can find her."
So, the two went off on an expedition to the local Pawmart, and then several different thrift stores and family-owned stores, and then to yet another Pawmart. The two shopped around and finally Meena settled on a large red Porcupine plush and a simple birthday card, which she decided she would write her confession in. She didn't want Ash to feel as if she had to feel the same, although Meena was hoping she would, so she kept her feelings sealed away and carefully chose each and every one.
The party finally came, and it was just a small get together in the theater with pizza and a cake, but as Meena glanced around the room she spotted an unwelcome but familiar face.
Lance.
For whatever reason, Lance, Ash's ex-boyfriend, had shown up. He was holding an expensive guitar case, and had a look of indifference on his face as he looked around the room. Ash finally arrived at the theater for the party, and instantly her eyes fixated on him. Meena felt her stomach drop as Ash smiled at him. Had she invited him?
"Lance, I'm glad you could make it." She commented, approaching him and taking the guitar case out of his hands. Most of the theater members exchanged worry glances with each other, Meena included. She wasn't sure why he was here, why this was happening, but she knew it didn't feel right.
"Yeah well, I wanted to come and see my girlfriend in person again." He said, and Meena softly gasped to herself. They had started dating again..? She felt her heart break into a million little pieces in her chest, and she steadily backed away from the scene and hid herself away in one of the practice rooms.
She sat down and felt her cheeks staining with tears, when Johnny came in and sat beside her. "Hey, you alright?"
Before she could manage to speak, a loud commotion was heard from the main stage. The two raced back out in worry and watched with their jaws dropped as Ash smashed the brand new, expensive guitar that Lance had bought for Ash right in front of him.
She was cackling in laughter while he watched in horror, and Gunter was standing between them making hand motions like a referee. "Crush his nose next, girlypoppa!" He yelled, and Porsha snickered.
"Who taught Gunter about the word girlypop?" She questioned through giggles, and Nooshy proudly pointed towards herself. Ash rolled her eyes and threw the head of the guitar down onto the ground.
"And that's for cheating on me!" She shouted in his face, as he fell to his knees and sorted through the scraps.
"So you ruin a brand new guitar? I paid good money for this! And I didn't keep the receipt because you said this was the one you were wanting!" He hollered, and she snorted.
"Tough luck, Lance. Now get out!" She jeered, and he reluctantly did so, grumbling under his breath.
Meena couldn't help but feel her heart start to heal itself from it's shattered state. She wiped desperately at her face, not wanting anyone to notice how she was crying before. Just before Lance could walk out the door, Ash hurried over to Meena and yanked her down by her hand, softly kissing the other girl's trunk.
"And guess what, Lance? I have a girlfriend now!" She yelled, pointing towards Meena. The male porcupine just rolled his eyes and stormed out of the building, and Ash turned to face Meena again.
"Sorry about making you a part of this," She shyly giggled, holding up the card that Meena had written. "But I might've accidentally read this before you wanted me to when you dropped it."
Meena glanced down, having not even noticed that the card had slipped out of the plush porcupine's velcro hands. "Oh, so you meant it when you said that?"
"As long as you meant it, then yeah. I've liked you for a while now, honestly... I asked Johnny for advise, but he just told me to be patient. Now I know why." She said, tenderly fiddling with the card in her hands.
Meena smiled and leaned down, holding Ash's tiny hands in hers as they started to walk back to the party. Meena made the mental note to thank Johnny later.