Squidward Is a F*ucking Mindreader

21. The moment you realise...You fucked up

*Becca's POV*

I was hungry. Like super hungry. Like I was about to bite Josh's head off hungry. I was basically ready to eat the entirety of our cottage. So when Daniel came and suggested he drove us to the nearby dinner, I jumped at the chance. The only set back, was that Daniel, being 15 and nine months, had only just received his learner's permit and it meant he had to drive with a licensed driver in the car. Which was how we ended up, starving, on the bench outside Ms. Fletcher's door.

The door flung open and the woman in question ushered a tall boy out of her office.

"Good Bye, Jeremiah. I hope this behaviour clears up next year or you'll fail your A-levels." And then she saw us.

"Oh Lord, Rebecca, why are you just sitting there? Come in!" She said exasperatedly. I laughed.

"You know I would've, Ms.Fletcher, but I wasn't sure how appreciated my presence during that particular conversation would have been." I said. Looking down the hall towards poor Jeremiah, who's head hung low, and shoulders drooped by his sides.

"Well regardless, what can be done for you three then?" She said. I put on my prettiest, most convincing smile and opened my mouth to ask her when she cut me off.

"What do you need me to tell Mr. Steely this time, Rebecca?" Sighed Ms. Fletcher, walking back into her office, towards the phone.

"Well, to tell him you've taken us on an educational learning experience on the brain and it's nervous system." I said sweetly. She frowned, tilting her head to the side as she watched us with confusion.

"I need a licensed driver in the car with me when I drive and we wanna get food from Jamie's across Macky D's farm over there." interjected Daniel. He smiled at her and stepped back.

I looked at her, longing gracing my features as Ii silently pleaded with her to come with us. I was super hungry.

"Nope. Sorry. I'm busy right now guys." She said and she turned around.

"Please?" Said Josh.

"No."

"Please?" Said Daniel.

"No." Came the steady response.

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No. You wanna hear it in Spanish? no" I grinned. Ms. Fletcher knows what's up.

"Please?" I tried.

"Yes."

I spun on my heel, arms beside my head in a question of triumph and I beamed. "That's how it's done boys."  I said, and me and Ms. Fletcher marched out of her office. She pulled her phone out, and called Mr. Steely.

I listened to the one sided conversation between Ms. Fletcher and The head of our school. She nodded but we all know he couldn't see her.

Wow, I am SO brainy! I'm practically Albert Einstein. Except he dropped out of school. Maybe I should drop out of school. I could live in Daniel's treehouse and eat crops from Old Man Macdon's farm next to our school.

Old Man Macdon, or Macky D as he was nicknamed by my Macdonald's loving friend, was the man who owned the farm land next to our school. He was sweet when he wasn't on the sauce, which was all the time. He was generally an OK guy but sometimes he-

I stopped thinking about Macdon.

OK.

It rang in my ear like a siren, or a cruel joke does when someone say one about you.

Over and over. The single word that could take me right back to those four days, I spent like Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, waiting under a bed in a home with a ticking time bomb, unsure of when I was going to perish, waiting for a hero that was never coming. 

There was an old grandfather clock that stood in my parents' room. I remember hearing it tick. but I hadn't the guts to lift the covers and check the time. I could just hear the hours tick by.

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Tick

REBECCA

I screamed. It was a loud, ear shattering scream, that ripped from my lungs like a bird escaping captivity.

I screamed for my Papa. For the end of my mother's life.

I screamed for help. I was, once again, the little four year old girl, crouched under the bed, waiting for my Papa. My hero.

It was a scream that broke the walls around me. I collapsed, sobbing like a lunatic.

Strong arms lifted me to my feet and immediately the warmth that surrounded me calmed my nerves and stopped my tears. I relaxed into the grip of Daniel. He was the only one who made me feel this safe. He grabbed onto me, pulling my face straight into his chest as he whispered calming words into my ears. I didn't need them because just feeling him was enough but he wrapped me up so warm and comfortable I hadn't a single idea why I shouldn't relish in him. I sighed a happy, content sigh.

My mood took a full 180. (Stop singing Dua Lipa)

I'm telling you it's Daniel. My mood would never have lifted so quickly. He was really changing things and I wasn't sure if I liked it.

There's only one way to find out.

Shut up. No one asked you.

Daniel lead me to Ms. Fletcher's car but before he could get into the driver's seat, Ms. Fletcher shoved him away.

"I wouldn't trust you to drive my dead cat the dump." She said curtly, and sat down in the driver's seat herself. She stuck the key in the ignition as me and Josh bundled into the back. But then Josh suddenly seemed to remember something and got out of the back seat, stepped towards Daniel's door, and flung it open. Daniel got out and Josh sat down. Daniel walked back to Josh's seat, sat down and did the seat belt around his body.

I watched this exchange with some confusion.

"WTF Why?" I said. A flash of pain, hurt and sadness zipped through Daniel's eyes before he looked down. Then he looked back up at me. 

"No reason." He said, and looked out the window. I shrugged, looking out my window too.

We all sat in silence, watching the hills roll by in a blur of green and the occasional white blur that Old Man Macdon calls a sheep.

I felt a warm hand slip into mine and he interlaced our fingers, placing out now conjoined hands on his knee.

I looked over to find him still looking out the window, seemingly oblivious to what he had just done.

Honestly it was kinda cute.

That's why I love Daniel.

Wait WHAT?!