Squidward Is a F*ucking Mindreader

12. The day without Squidward

*Becca's POV*

I had gone home after my little trip with Squidward confused and lost. I was feeling things I had never felt before, and it was scary. Daniel had said such strange things and I had been overtaken with emotions I was unfamiliar with and confused of.

None of it made any sense. So for the first time, I was horribly confused. I know many things. I know about Rocket Fuel, and Sugar and Deep space. I know about Neural Sciences, and Psychology and Psychiatry. I knew about Sociology and Insanity. But I, for once, knew nothing about what Daniel was going through.

I had stayed at home the next day, calling in sick with flu. I faked common flu symptoms such as feverish temperature, a cough and a husky, sore sounding voice. Then I stayed at home and ate the weird cake from Ms Fleming and Mr Steely gave me.

I thought about what Daniel had said. It was a thought that so oft ran through my mind it almost became annoying.

The words he had said just repeated over and over in my mind. It was like falling down a flight of stairs. Everytime I thought about the way he had sounded when he said it- the way his whole person fell apart, the way you could see into his soul, see his pain- it was like hitting each step. 

But then for a brief second between each fall, You're flying.

Then you hit the next step.

He was hurting, sinking, drowning in his own misery. In his past.

He was drowning and he didn't know how to swim. So I was going to teach him how to swim.

I spent all day formulating my plan. Or at least I had meant to. But around 11am a knock sounded at my door.

I opened up to find a smiling Mr. Steely, a deeply frowning Ms. Fleming and an excited looking Boy.

"Yes?" I said grumpily, before remembering I was supposed to be sick, so I coughed weakly and hunched a little bit more. I was wearing Grey sweats and a matching hoodie, my long curly mixed race hair tied up in a bun on top of my head, and my blue light glasses seated on the end of my nose like a librarian. I smiled weakly at them and gestured inside, making sure to drip the door like I was unstable.

I looked left and right to make sure no one had seen these three people coming into my house, before nodding once to myself that the coast was clear, and shut the door promptly.

I walked round the corner to find Ms Fleming sitting in the armchair by the window. Occasionally, Ms Fleming would pop by to silently drink tea and when she did, she liked to sit in that chair. It was next to the window so she could look out but far enough not to be seen. It was also next to a radiator so she would be warm in the winter, but close enough to the AC to be cool during the summer.

She was rather like Sheldon Cooper when it came to where she sat. Precise and Possesive.

I gestured weakly towards the black couch in the middle of my black and white themed living room. In fact, my whole Cottage was pretty much Black and white themed.

The boy perched himself on the edge of the couch, looking around my living room with a neutral look on his face. He certainly wasn't impressed openly, nor was he openly unimpressed. I had no idea how he felt about my living room. Which was chill because I didn't care.

Mr Steely sat next to the boy looking up at me with a smile on his face. "Good morning Becca. I understand you are sick so hopefully this won't take long." He said, beaming up at me with his abnormally large eyes, and round face.

I smiled Kagami style and sat in the beanbag opposite the couch. The boy suddenly resumed his happy face and  stuck his hand out across the table. He was tall and thin, with blonde hair in that Tik Tok e-boy style, middle parting and long but not too long. He was attractive and honestly, quite cool looking. He was what we Brits call "Lanky" and  his perfect rows of teeth peeked out from under his lips when he smiled a bright smile at me.

"Hi, I'm Josh." He said in an american accent. He was still smiling, his long, thin arm wrapped in a black and white striped sleeve stuck out to shake mine. He was dressed from head to toe in black clothing, from the beanie covering the crown of his head. He was wearing a black and white stripy sleeved shirt, with a baggy black My Chemical Romance band tee on top. He had on skinny jeans and black sneakers.

I took his hand, firmly shaking it, before coughing feebly to show that I was still sick. Just in case they had seen how hard I'd gripped his hand.

"Now, as much as I love your visits Mr. Steely, can I ask why you and this American are in my home?" I said, my voice thick with sarcasm. Josh smiled secretly.

"Are you fluent?" American Boy, Josh asked, referring to my sarcasm.

"Born with the fluency." I responded, smiling back at him. I liked this boy.

"Ms. Maxwell, We brought Josh to your home because we were hoping he could live here for a bit, until better accomodations were available."

I frowned deeply at this. They knew I couldn't room with people.

"Mr. Steely, you know I'm not exactly allowed to live with anyone. Why can't he live with Daniel? He lives alone." I said, I mean, that would make more sense than A) Staying with a girl, and B) that girl being me.

Mr. Steely and Ms. Fleming shared a look that did not go unnoticed be me. Then they turned back to me.

"You know you aren't exactly able to live with anyone right now, Rebecca, But Daniel is more unfit than you to share a house with anybody. He really cannot live with anyone, and even if he did, they'd most likely request to move in less than a week. We thought we'd save everyone the trouble and move him in here instead." Said Ms.Fleming. I sighed. It made sense. If Daniel was unable to live with someone else, the only other living arrangement was with me.

"It won't be forever, Becca. Just until we can find somewhere for Mr. Goldenbath to go." Said Mr. Steely. I snickered but accidentally swallowed some spit and ended up coughing for real.

Mr. Steely jumped nervously. "Well, Ms. Fleming and I had best be off. We'll come back to check on you guys later." And with that him and Ms. Fleming rose from their seats and walked out of my home. I waved through the window as they walked away before turning to the boy sat in front of me.

"So, Goldenbath, huh." I said finally. I put the shawl I had wrapped myself up in earlier on the couch an chucked myself onto it next to him.

"Yeah. It's like German or something." He responded. Then he turned his head to the TV screen.

"Put something on. I wanna watch something." He said, nodding his head in the direction of the TV as he leaned back onto the couch, arm over the back.

I switched on my TV, and Netflix came up, with my paused episode of SpongeBob still showing on the screen. I went to change it but he grabbed the remote, pressed play and threw it on the table.

"Love me some of the square, Let's go. I watch this great show that I think you'll like if you like The ol' Sponge. It's called Miraculous Ladybug. It's this French show about these two fucking idiots who are too oblivious to see that they are in love with each other's alter ego. And honestly, this one guy, Adrien Agreste, he's like a modern day Phineas Flynn." I turned my head to him, honestly in some kind of awe. He was honestly awesome.

And with that we settled back to watch SpongeBob.