A/N Sorry for the confusion with this chapter! I uploaded it, and then accidentally deleted it, and here we are. Haha.
Thank you for all the beautiful reviews, I so enjoy all your thoughts on this story. I spent all summer finishing up another work of fiction (It's all done, yay!) which is why 'Dreams' didn't get much love. Apologies, however, it is now on my 'priorities' list, which means it'll be updated every week (probably Sunday/Monday)
Chapter 12
Philip and Helga had been walking around the school for a solid ten minutes, in silence. The blond beauty was lost in her own thoughts, worried about her own life, and she didn't want to talk. She walked too fast, she realized, when Mr. Shortman suddenly stopped and told her he had to catch his breath. They'd already been to the main office, where Miles was not waiting; they'd gone to his classroom, and found it empty, so they just kept walking.
"Helga, should I call Arnold? This isn't normal, right?" At that Helga looked at the old man. He looked so worried, and despite herself, she softened.
"Phil, I'm sure he just got side tracked. We can go back to the office and have them call him down. I'm sorry I didn't suggest it before." Maybe because she had found the secretary of the school to be the biggest twat in history.
"...You're right! Let's do that." The odd couple started for the office, and Helga tried not to groan too loudly when the old man started talking. "I guess I just, I lose everything nowadays. My watch, my shoes... I can't lose my great grandson!"
"Right, well...are you okay?" The question came out of nowhere, as she saw him have to steady himself on the wall. He looked pale, and tired, and she suddenly wondered why Arnold wasn't taking better care of the old man.
"I'm...not sure. Lately, everything seems blurry, Pookie." Oh. no. Helga's eyes widened at the sweet man. He hadn't... he had. He had just called her 'Pookie'? This was not good.
"Mr. Shortman, do I need to call someone? Are you okay? Do you need to go to the doctor? Oh my gosh, I think the nurse might still be here-"
"What? No, I'm fine, Helga! We need to find Miles."
"..."
"I'm fine" He gifted her a smile, and it was so comforting and reassuring that she pushed her worried aside and continued to walk towards the office. Phil was always such a jokester, maybe this was a prank? 'He's just trying to make you think you've lost your mind', she tried soothing herself, but she still kept an eye on the man beside her.
"You're so angry, aren't you?" He suddenly asked, and it was so childlike and harmless, and non-judgmental that she actually laughed.
"I am. I'm angry at the world."
"It's not easy, is it?"
"..."
"I know all about that. I didn't talk to my sister for years..." Helga tried to listen carefully as he told her about his twin sister, who he'd stopped talking to after the death of their beloved pet, but how they'd reunited and it was a blessing, because she'd died not long after. Was this a lesson on forgiveness? She wasn't sure, because not long after he changed the subject to fishing boats.
"I've never been fishing on a boat...or fishing at all, actually" She commented, trying to get the man to stop talking, but instead he put his hand on her shoulder.
"Then I shall take you fishing on a boat!"
"Oh, that is so not necess-"
"Tomorrow! In the morning, it's the best time for fishing."
"Um..." Before she could say no, Grandpa Phil rushed to the secretary in the main office, explaining that she needed to call for Miles. The woman did, but still another 20 minutes went by, without the child's whereabouts being known. Helga didn't know why, but she stayed. She stayed while Grandpa Phil berated the secretary, and while they got the school officer involved, she stayed while Arnold was called, and she stayed when Arnold explained that he had picked up his son, and that it was Grandpa Phil who was missing.
"He's coming to pick you up" Helga explained, making the man sit on the steps of the front of the school. No one was around, as most children had been picked up, and even most of the teachers had gone home. "Will you be okay, here, alone?"
"Yes, of course!"
She stayed.
"We're going fishing tomorrow, right?" Phil asked, as they waited for Arnold to get him, and Helga wondered why she could blow off Arnold so easily but his son? His grandpa? They were a completely different story.
"Yeah, sure-"
"It'll be great, you'll catch a fish!"
"Woo-hoo" She muttered, sarcastically, slinking down further into the steps and looking up. The sky was clear, at least, and the weather was nice.
"Pookie never thought she was better than anyone, she just...lived life in this amazing way. Never envied anyone, never hurt a soul." He started talking, and she had the urge to remind him that 'Pookie' was an oddball, and she had most certainly gotten in her fair share of fights, but instead, Helga let the man talk.
"She always said we all live on the same boat, and the boat is sinking." Well. That was inspiring.
"Nice story-"
"- So, we all live on this boat, and it's got holes, and we're all sinking-so why look at anybody and envy them, or look at others and feel superior? We're all on the same boat. Might as well help each other. Get some buckets, try and get some water out."
Helga looked over at Phil, Steely Phil. No wonder he and Pookie had been the perfect match. He was rambling on and on, and for whatever reason, she kept listening.
"You're a strange man, Mr. Shortman."
"I'm just saying, Helga, you're not alone. Let me help you. Let me help you learn how to fish."
"..." The blond rolled her eyes, as Arnold's car made a timely stop in front of the school, and the man came rushing over to his grandfather, worried, asking if he was alright, if he had forgotten that he didn't have to pick up Miles anymore.
"I...I don't know Short man. Let's just go home. I'm starving."
"Okay, yeah, grandpa, just get in the car...Helga. Thank you."
"Yeah, whatever, I guess I was just trying to get some buckets, and throw water out of our sinking boat."
"...What?"
She laughed, almost genuinely at his look of confusion. "I don't know. Your grandpa's crazy. He's taking me fishing or something-"
"Oh. Haha, grandpa...he's a very good man. He's also an old man who is ...struggling. You don't have to hang out with him."
"I know."
"Helga...do you want to join us for dinner?" He didn't know why he constantly tried. She always turned him down, or away, and that was okay with him. He deserved all of her anger, but there was a part of him that hoped one day they could get to a better place. He was always going to hope.
"Ugh, oh football head..." Maybe it was the fact that she'd just spent the better part of the late afternoon with a senile old man who inexplicably had the ability to raise her spirits, but 'yes' was on the tip of her tongue.
"I guess... I am starving. Let's go. Chop, Chop!" She grumbled at him, as he had momentarily stayed in place, shocked by her sudden willingness.
"Oh, right, coming!"
To Be Continued...
