Three Brood Instigators

59. Dog Days

Wilkes was staring at the window, sitting alone as always whilst other scouts were busy with their companions. Of course, he never minded being alone, watching the country as the bus courses back to Wallagrass. However, when he arrived to Wallagrass, and encountered James, both tried so hard not to stare at each other again.

And when he got off his sights heading back home, he was infuriated by the term: friendship.

"Solomon... James... Izzy, why do they?" he asked himself, still in disarray and dismay. "Why is it that if I wanted friends, I have to prepare some ignobleness to get it?"

Still, returning home when nanny prepared some buffalo wings after a heavy Friday, Wilkes never found the answer.

"Nory, why are you looking down?" she asked.

"Nothing, just uhm, well, I'm slowly starting to lessen my worries, needed to wait for my SAT's. Mu portfolio evaluations, FAFSA must be done soon someday. So wow, it must have been a lot of hard work, I, I guess," Nory responded, still with a smile.

"That you should, Nory, don't worry, I am still here," she smiled. "And why are you looking down, Wilkes?"

"I'm confused," he said.

"Why?" she asked, standing beside him. "Do you find any difficulties with a badge?"

"Not exactly,"

"Is there something I shall know about, to help, maybe?" she asked.

"II don't think so, Nanny Villa," Wilkes said. "Because this is about friendship."

"What's so troubling about friendship?" Nory asked.

Wilkes contemplated, "I don't know... to be honest, apart from wanting to learn the ways of the Scout... one of my other reasons to apply for the academy was to—hope—that I can actually find a friend suiting to my ideals. But... they are just the same as the school I was before. Still, now, I am alone."

"You are never alone, Wilkes," Nanny said.

"That may be, but, I don't think I'll ever find a true friend," Wilkes said.

"Wilkes, you don't have to change yourself to get a friend," nanny said.

"I am afraid that can be refuted, Nanny," he said.

"Nanny, I got this," Nory decided to take the toll. "I am afraid you do not understand what Nanny Villa is trying to say to you, Wilkes."

"What do I not understand?" he asked.

"Think like this, my boyfriend, he and I are very different worlds. Apart from that I live an orphan while he lives with his family and his four grandparents, he's a... well, he's a nerd, I am not. Oftentimes I don't understand why he loves Lustrous too much; and oftentimes, he doesn't understand why I'm always listening to old songs than current songs, same like you," she said. "But the point is, we are still together; our relationship, well, it still last, and we are trying our best for it. I never changed for him, he never changed for me, he is so romantic."

"Thanks, Nory," he said. "But I think my world is different than yours, I wonder if it is the act of attention it is to get a friend."

"Well, Wilkes, eventually, you'll have a true friend, a good one. You will find someone who'll know your pain, be by your shoulder, someone, just like you," she said.

Beni just came home. "There's my courageous Beni," Nanny greeted.

"Nice, he walked alone back home," Nory cheered up.

"He is a brave boy, aren't you Beni?" Nanny said.

"Thanks, Nanny," he said.

"There are some buffalo wings, I made, just for this Friday, go and take some,"