She's two years young on a warm, sunny day when her father takes a dip in the sea and never comes back up.
_
He waits patiently by her locker, leaning casually on the one next to it.
The hallway is empty, free of rowdy teenagers, all excited to spend the temporary freedom away from homework and educational torment. Wilona's taunt echoes in his mind:
'What are you so scared of? She already hates you, so doing this won't even matter.'
He scowls. Soren didn't hate him. ...Did she?
She will after this, he thinks grimly.
Footsteps.
Oliver straightens up, shouldering his bag anxiously. The figure in front of him stops in surprise, curiosity woven across her delicate face.
"Hey," he greets.
x
She's digging into her second helping of Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream when he starts to talk.
"I really liked the drawing you gave me. I couldn't really find a way to thank you for it so consider this as a token of my gratitude," he says, raising a spoonful of his own Cookie Dough ice cream as a toast.
Soren looks up at him, seemingly confused, before the memory dawns on her. It's been a week since she gave it to him, after all.
She shrugs, a little bashful. "I like drawing," she responds.
"Yeah," Oliver nods. "I know." There's a softness in his voice that she finds sad. She doesn't know what to say next so she takes another spoon of ice cream and slides it on her tongue. The cold serving refreshes her mouth and slithers down her throat deliciously. She hums in delight.
Soren didn't know, at first, what to think, what to say, when Oliver Michaels asked her out to Ben and Jerry's to grab some dessert. But she was happy to see him and it had been such a long time since they'd had a real conversation. She really did miss him.
And suddenly, the words were there. "Sure," she had replied.
"So... what have you been up to?" Oliver asks tentatively. They aren't strangers, but he plays it safe.
She bites her lip and rolls her eyes up to think. "Hmmm... nothing much, really. Just work and school most of the time. Linda sprained her wrist and ankle the other day so she's been resting at home. And Terry's the same little rascal he's always been."
Oliver chuckles. "Is he still trying to hide in your shoes?"
Soren smiles. "No, he's too big now. But he did try to come with me to school today. I found him hiding in my backpack this morning." She giggles as she remembers how she found her dog, Terry, curled up in his smallest form at the top of her bag trying to impersonate a random brown fluffy ball. It wasn't the first time he tried to sneak out of the house to accompany her to school.
"And what about Linda? How did she sprain both her wrist and ankle?" Oliver inquires, concerned, as he finishes up his dessert.
"An accident at work," Soren answers. "She twisted her ankle when she was stocking some supplies and her wrist took the impact when she fell." She shakes her head. "She really should retire. I'm worried about her physical health."
Oliver nods, but secretly wonders what consequences it would have if Soren's only caretaker wasn't working to pay the bills. He knows Soren doesn't get paid much and neither does Linda. Even the money they receive from Social Services won't be enough to cover them for a week.
He internally shakes his head. He has to watch himself, he's starting to get attached. He has one mission, and one mission only.
They talk some more and before he knows it, the sun is setting and she has to go home. He offers her a ride.
She gives him one of her special smiles and kindly declines, stating that she could walk but thankful that he offered.
He watches her take her bag and leave, waving a goodbye before setting off. He raises his hand and waves back.
Then he's alone. He sits at the table for two, staring at the seat she had just been in. The little store is vacant now, save for a couple of the employees in the back cleaning up.
And he feels it building up in him. Behind the pain and sadness and regret and self-pity.
Anger. A red, hot, inexplicable fury.
And he becomes scared.
x
I'm baaaaack :}
votes and comments are always welcomed ^^
- zayna
