"Let's watch Avatar." Daniel suggested.
"Oh. Another movie. Alright." I shrugged.
The lights were off but the living room wasn't completely caliginous. Although drawn shut, the curtains were fine and thin. The material allowed some external radiance to enter the house.
The whole situation reflected my emotions. Inside me, what once used to be a bright and cheerful part had been overtaken by darkness. But still, there was a tinge of light - an unhealthy, useless hope that won't get you anywhere.
The Avatar DVD menu flashed across the flat screen television and Daniel hit play on the remote. Watching movies is what all our dates consisted of since Daniel returned from college. That was all we did besides eating out at restaurants.
"Hey, Danny... do you want to go kart racing?" I asked, resting my hand on his.
"Oh... I'm not such a big fan of that. But if you want to go, we could." He replied, planting a quick kiss on my cheek.
"Nevermind."
Various colours projected from the screen flashed against our faces as the both of us stayed silent. My flick-fanatic boyfriend hung his arm around my shoulder and drew me into his embrace. All of his focus was on the three-hour long movie that played infront of us but mine was elsewhere.
I fell asleep after a few scenes. I'd watched Avatar several times and was, frankly, very sick of it. I also couldn't sleep the night before. I was haunted with all kinds of awful thoughts. I hadn't been able to rest since I saw Polly at the clinic.
I had no idea why it bothered me so much that she was pregnant. I wasn't the one having a baby. And I didn't tell anyone about what I saw because I didn't want any trouble.
I wasn't even sure if she was really pregnant. I was scared of the whole thing evolving into something like the Odette-Josh scandal. I didn't want to interfere this time because I have been convinced that karma exists.
I was awakened by a loud thud. Slightly dazy from the light sleep, I saw Harry throwing his keys onto a table by the entrance door. He wore football shorts and a jersey. I assumed he'd just come back from a game.
"Hey, little bro." Daniel greeted. Harry ignored his brother and peeked over at us on the couch, lightly shaking his head. I sat up straight and tilted my head down, noticing his uneasy gaze. I felt a sharp pain in my chest at the sight of him.
Daniel pressed the pause button on the remote before turning to Harry. "Did you find a job?" He questioned.
"Why do you care?" Harry replied coldly.
"Mum told me to chec-"
"Why don't you get an education first and stop loafing around with high school girls?" Harry sneered before walking into the kitchen. Ouch.
At a loss for words, Daniel gaped at his brother as he disappeared into the kitchen. Daniel's features tensed up. "Sorry for that. He's a little out of control now." He told me, rubbing the back of his neck.
"It's alright. I think I have to leave now. I have to help my mum with the grocery." I lied. I just couldn't be anywhere near Harry. An uneasy feeling rose up in my stomach just looking at him.
"What? No, you don't have to go." Daniel grabbed my hand as I stood up.
"I do. I really do." I replied, biting my lower lip in distress. "My mum will be pissed if I don't."
"I'll walk you to your car then." He sighed.
My fingers were fidgeting profusely as I walked to the entrance door. For what real reason... I wasn't sure. As Daniel played with the keys to the door, I caught Harry staring at me from the kitchen. He was at the counter eating a bowl of cereal. His emerald eyes pierced at me. I'd never seen him look at me that way before. I'd never seen anyone look at me that way before.
Accompanied by a sudden jolt in my heart, I felt the need to return the gaze. My heart thumped at a faster pace as I glanced back into his compelling orbs. Then I was abruptly hit by a strong yet unfamiliar feeling. Electrifying chills were shot up my spine. What was that? I didn't want to look away. I wanted to be close to him. I needed to feel his warmth. Something was taking over my senses.
"Helena?" I was knocked back into reality. Daniel had already opened the door and was waiting for me on the porch.
"Y-Yes?" I stammered.
"Were you even listening to me just now?" He questioned, narrowing his eyebrows. I hadn't even noticed that he'd been talking to me. I felt terrible.
"Yes." I mumbled, stepping outside.
"Then answer my question."
"Could you repeat it?"
"Nevermind." He murmured.
_________________________________
"Pick you up at five." My mother told me before rolling up the car window. I frowned at my awkward image in the tinted glass. As she accelerated off, I carried myself into the noisy play school.
I'd offered to help around at a play school for disabled children since I had nothing productive to do. I would also get some extra credit at school for volunteering work. But I wasn't doing it just for the credit, I liked kids.
They always make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I think it's their purity and innocence... how they've seen nothing of the world yet. When you're with them, you can somehow integrate into their school of genuine personas.
"Ms Helena Lilan, I presume? Your school called and told us you'd be here." A skinny, tall woman who looked about forty shook my hand. "Thank you for volunteering." Her deep wrinkles stretched as she smiled at me.
"You're welcome. Happy to help." I smiled back at her, slightly bothered by her large, protruding mole by her lips. "How do I address you?"
"Mrs Georgina would be fine. Come on, I'll show you the class you're assigned to."
Small squeals and banging could be heard as I followed her along the corridor of the small school. I hoped they wouldn't wreak much havoc because I was afraid of naughty kids. They're like little gremlins.
But the class I was assigned to wasn't that bad. When I entered the classroom, the children glanced over at me with wide, glossy eyes. A strong scent of poster paint was present. There were seven children and some had cleft lips, down-syndrome and some were even in wheelchairs. Something inside me broke just watching them.
There was a teacher there showing them how to create artwork by dipping their hands in paint. "This is Helena, kids. She's going to be with you all today." Mrs Georgina announced as the whole class stared at me.
"Hi, I'm Beatrice." The teacher greeted. She wore horn-rimmed glasses and freckles were splattered across her cheeks.
"Nice to meet you." I shook her hand as Mrs Joanna left the room with a smile.
I helped Beatrice teach the kids to make hand-paintings. They were brighter than I expected, with multiple colourful artworks produced within an hour.
"Dug... dug!" A girl tugged at my sleeve with her paint covered hands. I looked down to see a brown dog painted on her paper.
"Dog? Yes, it's a dog! Wonderful!" I giggled as I helped her spread glitter over her painting.
I was having fun. Like I said, when you're with children, they somehow take your woes away. You feel like you're one of them and you're suddenly carefree. That is, until...
"Helena," Beatrice called. "You're from Gripleville High, yes?"
"Correct." I replied, dabbing a little boy's hand onto some paper.
"There are two more volunteers here with us today. They're in the other class." She told me.
"Really?" I turned to her. "I didn't know that."
"Yes. Two guys." She bit her lower lip.
"Okay. Do you know their names?" I asked, wiping my hand with a cloth.
"No. I was wondering if you did." She grinned, exposing her metal-lined pearls. "'Cos they're kind of really cute."
The blaring sound of the bell interrupted our conversation. It was snack time. The children hopped out of the classroom as Beatrice followed. Within seconds, there was a stampede of little gremlins in the corridor. I followed them and my feet were crushed on by littler feet and rolled over by mini wheelchairs.
"Ow." I groaned to myself and bent down to see what had happened to my foot. Then I felt a hand on my arm. I looked up to see Harry smirking down at me. Of course it was him. I could never avoid him no matter how hard I tried. Gripleville was too small. I just knew it was Harry when Beatrice talked about someone from my school being here.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, pulling me up.
"Volunteering." I answered, jerking my arm out of his grip.
"Sure you're not following me?" His smirk grew wider and I couldn't help but smile at his charming demeanour. A part of me missed him.
"Please smile more." He told me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as we walked along the newly empty corridor. The children had rushed to the snack room.
"Zayn and I still have to do community work and stuff." He ruffled his messy curls.
I couldn't contain my laughter when we entered the snack room. Zayn was holding up packets of snacks whilst the kids attacked him. They clawed at him, demanding for more crisps.
"Me! Me!" They shouted. "I want snack!"
"You'll get your snack, just stop trying to kill me!" Zayn turned to look at us. "Good, Helena's here as well. Help me give out the snacks, you two." He threw a few packets of crisps and small cartons of juices to Harry and I.
I handed out the juice cartons to them while Harry gave out the crisps. The madness died down once they had their little fingers on their delicacies.
"Volunteering too, huh?" Zayn questioned, walking over to me. He tried to relieve himself of the strain by stretching his arms.
"Yup. I'd rather be here than at those parties they're having." I told him, referring to a party Josh was throwing.
"Meh." He scrunched his nose when I mentioned Josh. "Well, Harry's doing very well."
Harry was laughing with the kids and cracking jokes. I smiled at how they seemed to love him. He had this... appeal to him. I wouldn't know how to describe it but he can get along with anyone. You just can't hate him. But something inside me churned when he carried a boy on his back, giving him a piggyback ride. I was reminded of Polly... and how Harry was probably the father of her unborn child.
Harry trotted over to us with the little boy on his back, chuckling. "Why sour face?" The boy asked.
"Yeah, why the sour face Hel?" Harry repeated.
"Uh - nothing." I thought of what to say. "Y-You'll be a great dad." It slipped.
Harry's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at me in confusion.