In Deepest Minds: Book Two

Chapter Ten: A helping hand

A few days passed by and then the weekend arrived. I woke up and then took a shower and then ate some breakfast. I think I almost forgot something. Ah, to visit Rick.

So I went outside and then walked for about a few blocks away from my home and I'm pretty sure that it was right...

...I saw a FOR SALE sign at the front yard of this house with a sticker that said SOLD that is stuck recently. I guess someone bought this place and I think Rick was still inside the house. I think I should try to knock through the door.

I knocked through the door three times and then I saw a man with shaggy grey hair and then sunken blue eyes. I feel like that's Rick or something but he was still upstairs. Then he shut the window curtain and I think that he's going down to check it out.

I was nervous about this person and I think that he might need something in this place at all. I mean, he's going to move out of this place soon enough. He might probably need something.

And I saw him opening through the door. Well-dressed in a leather jacket with a white shirt inside and then blue pants and sneakers on the bottom. That was unexpected for him.

"Who are you," he asked. Does he always sound like that? He seems to like all of his emotions are bottled up. Suppressed, you know. No emotions whatsoever "are you the student council? Or just..."

"I'm one of Hollyhock's friends," I said to him. I think he just needs to sharpen his communication skills "nice to meet you."

I lend out my hand to him and then a sudden suspicion urges right at him. I think he doesn't want to shake hands with me or something. I don't care if he doesn't want to.

"Well," he said and then he heaved a deep sigh "did she ever mention about me?"

"Well... yeah," I said without thinking about it. I may perhaps act so rashly to this one "she did mention you for a bit."

"You two must be close," he said. Wait, are we that close. Does that mean that she was opening up to me all the time? Hmm... weird, I never noticed it once "anyway, I was about to go outside and buy something at the supermarket. Like juice and stuff."

Wait, he's going to the supermarket. Is he going to make me an errand boy or something? Maybe I should give him a helping hand. After all, he was kind of weak from lacking some physical activity.

"Maybe I could help," I said.

"Oh, thanks," he said. I think he was quite so grateful about it "I could need some company after all."

He smiled and I think it wasn't his natural smile at all. I think he was just forcing himself to smile. Because that smile is so weary at all. So weary.

"What do you think about Hollyhock?" I asked so suddenly. While we were walking down a few blocks away. Because the supermarket is quite a bit far away from his house and also my house. We walked passed at my house and then. He finally answered.

"Holly is just... Holly," he said, he was close with her or something does he like Hollyhock "I just like her as a friend. She just thinks of me as a 'best-friend' material. Do you like Holly?"

I was surprised, I don't think he could ask me that question. He's quite smart and I don't know what his thoughts running through his mind. I don't know what he was thinking right now. But I think he might assume that I like Hollyhock. I don't know what I feel about her right now. All I need is to help Rick overcome his depression of him shutting himself in.

"It's okay," he said to me before I could answer a single word. Is that some sort of intuition or something? I don't know "I think you should focus on what you feel about her. The question is: What do you feel about her?"

What do I feel about her? I don't know. She seems like a nice girl to me. I don't know.

"There are a lot of things I don't know about Holly," he went on to talking and I think I need to start listening "because I never went outside for like two years or something? I don't know. But I think I've been avoiding her and I feel so sorry about that."

"So, you avoid interacting with people," I said, I think I should ask him about his brother. Was that some sort of a sensitive topic to him? Maybe I should ask him something else "what is the reason you shut yourself in?"

"It was a sensitive kind of topic," he said and then we arrived through the supermarket door and then we arrived. The supermarket is so cold. I just don't know why. And then he went forward and then went into the JUICE section "a topic I want to forget."

"Was it some sort of trauma?"

"Could you stop asking some questions," he said, grumpily. I don't think I shouldn't push him any further. I think I might push him right on the edge "this is not some sort of interview or something. Geez, so that's why I don't want to interact with people sometimes. They always ask, ask, ask. Ask all the time."

I couldn't argue with that one. Most likely I kind of agree with him at all. I don't know why but I don't think I could contradict his opinion or something like that.

"Sorry about that," I said, I think I should try and change the topic. But what topic is it? Oh, I know "I asked Hollyhock about the Christmas party next week... a few days maybe I don't know."

"Did she agree?"

I slowly nod my head and then he gives a snicker right directly into my face. I think he likes the fact that Hollyhock and I are hanging out right now. We're just hanging out as friends and I think that is it.

"Well, congratulations," he said, calmly. I guess he went back into his calm state. I guess I shouldn't talk to him about his brother. It was quite a sensitive topic for him I rarely see him smile but when he smiles I think it was kind of forced or unnatural. I think he was in his neutral state "she rarely accepts invitations to someone. Consider it an opportunity somehow."

Consider it an opportunity? What does he mean by that? Oh, I see, I think that the rumor was true. I think I shouldn't doubt Aiden's sources. I think he was something that will always surprise me.

Does she reject those invitations just to accept mine? No, I mustn't make those assumptions. I mean she just accepted it because she was my friend, right?

Then after he purchased the juice and other stuff he just carries the whole three bottles all at once. We walked back to his house and then we stared at each other for a while. He was inside the door while on the other hand, I was outside the door.

A long silence comes to us as the wind blows coldly through the right side of the house. I can feel his numbness within his neutral cold glare.

He was just there inside the door. Staring at me in his neural state neither smiling nor frowning. I don't know what he was thinking and then I think I try to break this silence. Because I'm running out of time.

"Uhh... see you later, Rick," I said and then I turn back on to him, and then I stopped for a second "it was nice meeting you."

Then I walked a few steps away from his house and then he said to me.

"It was nice meeting you too, Rogan,"

I turned around and then I saw him with his weary smile. I think it was a bit natural this time. Was he pleased that he made a new friend after staying at his house for like a year or something? It was long but he needs to sharpen his social skills sometime.

I walked a few blocks away from Rick's house and then after that, I went back into my house weary and tired I didn't have time to eat dinner so I went to my bed and then I fall asleep.

I think there are a few days left until the dance. I think it was three days left. Maybe, I don't know. I was just excited about the party that is going on this Christmas.

Maybe I should prepare myself for this one. Especially on what Rick said to me...

I think that I'll never forget that one.

I try to make myself fall asleep. But I can't, I just can't.

I closed my eyes and try to clear out something in my mind.

Clear out my mind... clear out my mind... I don't think it was working. Good thing it was Saturday though.