A Completely Different Story (Completed)

Chapter 33: What An Old Man Said

I just came out from the school building with my backpack, days after Cynthia ruthlessly broke my heart, emptiness was the only thing I could feel within me. I wasn't aware of anything around me as I began walking through the street I just got on when I went out, I later on decided to take a seat on a bench beside a post light just when I saw one. I was severely tired that I didn't want anything to proceed, I just wanted a short break from everything, I even wanted time to end or at least pause itself. There I remembered the problem I had to deal with at the library just for me to have my upcoming vacation, but I procrastinated more and decided to just remain seated and go there the day after tomorrow, or maybe never.

Half an hour of continuously unmoving while staring out of nowhere, a little white girl with blonde hair in a small floral dress suddenly appeared in a minimal distance in front of me somewhere in the middle of the sidewalk, crying while endlessly looking and shouting for her mother, was obviously lost. I wanted to help, but I couldn't stop thinking twice if I should. I was about to make a stand when an old man abruptly walked in and stood next to her, I remained seated and canceled my intention. He knelt with one knee and affably greeted her like a grandfather before asking her name, I even thought he was, apparently he wasn't.

"Clarissa," the little one replied with some endearing tears at the corners of her eyes as she wiped her eye at the right with the skin of the back of her hand, was still looking sad.

The old man smiled at her that didn't seem to have any bad intention at all, even brought the little girl to trust him, I kept observing them. After then, the old man assisted her with her tears as he wiped one side of the little girl's skin below her eyes with his thumb. "Clarissa it is then," he said with the same positive emotion, "well tell you what, everything's gonna be just fine. May I know your mom's name? or perhaps your father?"

"I don't have a father," she said that lifted his emotions afterward, "but my classmates do. I don't understand why sister Alex and I don't have one, do you know who my father is?"

He couldn't speak for the next set of seconds, "Oh err." he uttered, ". . . Unfortunately dear, no." then he shook his head and answered. "But uhm," he looked away, thinking. "if that's it then, what is your mother's name? was she with you today? or were you with your sister Alex?"

"I went out by my own," she answered and was about to cry again, "I didn't even ask permission. I just wanted to buy some cotton candies at the candy store my mom always takes me to, but I got lost when I tried going home,"

"Oh, I see." he said, nodding.

Then in a sudden, "Clarissa!" a woman shouted somewhere that made the three of us look at the direction where her voice was coming from. It was indeed her mother. "Clarissa baby, there you are, I've been looking all over for you," her mother said with full worry when she got there and picked her daughter up.

Nothing bad happened between the old man and the little girl's mother, she even thanked him, and he too was glad that he was able to help the little girl a bit. He truly was a good man. It wasn't long before the little girl and her mother began walking toward their home hand in hand, the old man watched them with a smile and lastly waved while saying goodbye to the little girl as she and her mother went away. He stood there for minutes. But unexpectedly, he noticed me. Like, he did. I immediately looked away. And another unexpected thing happened when he decided to walk heading near me. I acted as hard as I could in such way that it would seem like I never gained interest in acknowledging him, he sat at the other corner of the same bench I was seating, it just made me want to leave, even took the laziness out of me.

"I honestly thought she was my little girl," I knew he was going to say something, and he did. But I didn't find it that much awkward. "but you just can't deny the truth about growth that hurts being a father." he paused and became silent right after he said that gave me a short relief. But then, "How old are you?" he questioned that later on made me look around if I was the one he was asking to, "yeah, you."

"I'm a teenager, isn't it obvious?" I replied with a bit of respect, but no, it was kind of disrespectful for me to say.

"No." he answered that insulted me, "But just let me tell you something." he continued, "There will come a time, when you will fall in love with somebody, specifically a girl, unless you're gay or anything," he laughed, I wanted to punch him. I looked away even more. "but my point is, you should never play around with her feelings, or anybody's feelings. And that-"

"What made you think I would do that?" I interrupted first before letting him continue.

He put up some silence between first while thinking before he answered, "I'm not saying that you would," he said, "but it's just that, nowadays, boys do. So just listen." he demanded, I obeyed. "You'll love somebody in the future, that's for sure." he said first in continuation, I agreed without saying anything. "But the stupid thing is, some boys do play with other girls' feelings. I don't know why they would, but I had never, and would never. But now, they're just so unaware of the pain a father gets, seeing his little girl hurt. They're unaware of the pain they're causing, to the father of the girl they're making a fool out of, and not just to the girl herself. A lucky man usually have two important girls in his life; his wife, and his daughter. And I'm even thankful no boy so far had tried courting my girl. So if I were you, just, don't. Because you too will experience that kind of pain, and you'll eventually regret hurting a girl who didn't even do anything to you, you'll realize it as you grow old. That's sort of one thing about growth," I understood what he meant, but just not entirely.

"How about if it goes the other way around?" I questioned him.

"That's for you to trace out," he replied, "but why would a girl even betray a loyal boy like you, that is if you are. But perhaps she just hadn't realized how lucky she was to have you. Maybe she's just not the one for you." I was wordless looking at him, I looked down below. He took a deep breath, "Oh well," as he then tried standing up, "it was nice chatting with you mate, I'll see you around. I have to catch up with my daughter,"

"Do you have a father," I was able to ask him though he had already stood on the ground.

It took him some time before he managed to answer it, "Technically, yes." he told me, "But no. I had always felt not having one. But it's fine. Just be one in the future," then he started walking away after five seconds of standing still, but then suddenly, "And just in case you might end up with my daughter, just do me a favor mate, and watch out as you attempt," he gave a warning for last that actually shocked me, I didn't even know who his daughter was. What a bumptious old man.