A couple of weeks into her part-time job and school, Helen was having a private 9PM study as her custom was, when suddenly her phone rang. At first, she refused to answer the call because she had just fifteen minutes left to wrap up, and she had spent almost twenty minutes of the one hour, struggling to focus. Her thoughts had been preoccupied with things related to Alex and work. Alex, the hero who used to rescue her from boredom and give her stomach aches from laughter, was now bugging her thoughts. It wasn't all bad things, just a couple of times like six or seven days in a row when he'd refuse to speak to her, by giving excuses like he had to pay her mother a visit claiming she was unwell, but whenever Helen asked to go see her together with him, the tone with which he rejected her kind gesture was one indicating unfriendliness. Sometimes during lectures he was nowhere to be found, his attitude towards everything and everyone changed all of a sudden, causing Helen to worry.
Anyways, after a second ring of her phone, it started to vibrate, an indication that she had received a message. She reached out double tapped on the screen to check who the desperate person was, and she noticed the name 'Chris' as the name of the contact.'Sorry to disturb your sleep," the first message read.Just when she was about to text her reply, a second came through from Chris, saying, "I wanted to check up on you. Hope you good?""Heyyy.... Sup? Naughhh, wasn't sleeping, just studying till somebody thought about checking up on me. Thanks, means a lot. Hey uhm...have you any idea what's going with Alex? He's been acting strange for a while." Helen piled up her reply in one message, then clicked send, hoping to keep him busy until she finished her studies."Ohh you're studying. My bad. Okay, me and some guys will be going to take a swim where I showed you last time ND I wanted to know if you'd like to join us. It's tomorrow, four at noon.About Alex, well let's just say he's having some girlfriend troubles, he'll come around. He has an insecure girlfriend, it's a long story. Back to the swimming thing, we could make it two in one, I can show you my chef side when get to my place. In order for you not to say no, we should take no food along, I'll bring some bring cola drinks and soda." He texted.As she read, she stumbled upon the two words, standing next to each other 'girlfriend troubles', immediately she felt a sharp pain,it felt the piercing of her heart with a really sharp knife. Out of nowhere and without warning, a tear from her eyes smashed itself onto the phone's screen in a thud, what was it that she was feeling? Was this what people felt when they received the news that their close friends had potential life partners? Or was this pain it gave when they hear the news from an outsider instead of the horse's own mouth? That was betrayal right? Or this was that burning desire in her that she had been trying her best to suppress ever since that night, after Chris' birthday party when he dropped her off. That night, when he came to open the door for her and extended a hand for her to careful step out of the car, taking his hand she saw herself in a wedding dress, with the handsome Alex himself as the groom, flowers spread all around her while the guests around her shouted, joyfully with smiles all across their faces. That night, that very moment, as her first foot stepped out of the vehicle, and her eyes met his sparkling blue pair, she could tell that cor the very first time in the history this universe, time literally took a break from its course, the other side of the story that still tormented her the most, was the part where her eyes trailed down his face and ceased to continue when it got to his lips, she felt hers soften, and under a split second, they were moistened by her tongue which had no business coming to play as she bit gently yet unconsciously on her lips and began to imagine her lips and his, in a sweet brawl for dominance.All these never really happened, and yet, there she was, Helen Bookworm, studying nothing but past chapters she could've written differently. 'What if he didn't feel the same way?' she thought to herself, "fuck what ifs." He had a girlfriend along, and he never even bothered to mention her. "What kind of boyfriend is that?" She asked herself and began searching for an answer for herself. 'What if he felt the same way and didn't want his girlfriend to be on your mind Helen?' her thoughts researched yet again. "Fuck what if!" She yelled, "he betrayed me.""I'm in, can we do it a million times and more after that?" She typed, after wiping the salty water on her screen. She didn't even give herself time to decided, all she wanted at the moment, was for the messages to get to the desperate receiver on the other side, the other person who might help her get rid of the man with girlfriend troubles on her mind."Alright then!" A reply came back, "see you there. Take care your Highness."The message caused her to blush a little, thinking it was her way out, she laid her back down on the bed and closed her eyes, hoping sleep would kindly steal her away, and give her a good night rest, but then horrible thoughts began to sail here and there in her mind, that night was a gloomy one for her, instead of sleep, fair Helen cried, over and over again until the cold weather came to her aid, forcing her to sleep.Chris and Helen walked side by side, followed by a group of their friends, towards the riverside. The sun was high in the sky, and the warm breeze played with their hair as they chatted and laughed. The riverside was a beautiful spot, surrounded by trees and rocks, and the clear water sparkled invitingly. As they approached, they could hear the sound of laughter and splashing. The group of friends they were meeting was already there, jumping in and out of the water and lounging on the rocks. They greeted each other warmly and started to unpack their bags.Helen was wearing a sexy two-piece swimsuit that left little to the imagination. The top was a bright pink, and the bottom was black and high-waisted, hugging her curves perfectly. She readied the small sized camera, hanging around her neck like a tourist, then she began taking photos of the people, the rocks and the water from different angles. Chris found it difficult to take his eyes off her as she walked towards the water, h
It's never easy being the good guy, especially when it meant, not fighting to have the person you're deeply in love with. Sometimes you know that deep down, you will move heaven and earth to make him or her yours, and keep him or her happy for as long as the almighty will give you breathe. But that's where being the good guy comes in. There are sacrifices, like in Chris' case, being a man in front of Helen, and telling her "I'll be a good friend," when deep down, what your heart is craving for is not just friendship. If only people had the autocratic power to choose whom to love without the interference of the stubborn heart, we would not have to worry about the aftermath when we have been left behind to plot how we can be 'good' friends. Despite him not knowing her that much, from the first time he shook her hand and looked into her eyes at his birthday party, when Alex would not let her out of his sight, she had been the only female on his mind. Should he be the judge at a beauty co
The good book inspired by the architect and creator of the universe, but scribbled down for us by the flesh and blood which He deemed a little righteous in his sight, holds somewhere in its pages that, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens." Out of the seasons and purposes stated in that chapter's page, is found "a time to weep, and a time to laugh." If rewriting the fundamentals governing the universe were a right that were surrendered in the hands of the majority, the procurement of a survey to find out how many would change the things written on this passage would have been mouthwatering in every generation. Everyone would request its amendment."Who would want to weep? Who would want to lose a loved one? Who would hate happiness enough to choose sorrow?" Nobody. As the first semester was slowly drawing down its curtains, the unexpected was carefully but indirectly weaving its way into Helen's life.Back in Burnington, Joshua, he
On the cold Christmas Eve of 1996, in the third room on the second floor of the Saint John's hospital at Burnington Hills, approximately two minutes before the clock struck at midnight, a woman in labour, supposed to have had her child three minutes earlier, was tiring the surrounding midwives screaming "Push!", All for the reason that she wanted to have a child on Christmas Day. You see, her husband was born on the twenty-third, and she was born on the twenty-fourth, so she wanted her first child, or perhaps her only child to be born on Christmas Day. Her husband was not supportive of the idea, but he stood beside her anyway, holding her hand throughout the five minutes of her stubbornness. Finally, when the bells of the church right opposite the hospital began to chime, she gave in to cooperate with the midwives and had her baby girl, an infant clothed with beauty. But just as stubbornness always come with a price, her baby made no sound of a cry like a baby should when it's brought
Later that night, the McDonagh couple were gripped in fear as Helen's condition continued to worsen. She was as cold as ice, shivering profusely with a pale-looking face. Joshua, her father, tried calling the numbers of doctors he knew, but the ones that went through would not answer his calls. Chelsea, Helen's mother, on her part, had warmed up a towel in warm water she prepared immediately they got home, and pressed it on Helen's forehead, with the hope of seeing some improvement. The two sat beside Helen for almost three hours, observing for positive changes until the clock struck at eleven later that night. Helen sat up on the bed with her back resting on the pillow that separated her back from the wall, and rubbing their shoulders gently to wake them from their quick doze, "You're supposed to be taking of me" she said breathing out heavily. Their joy was quickly restored, as they wrapped their arms around her and with tears of joy, slithering gently down their cheeks. "Easy," Hele
Thursday strolled in gently with smiling faces all-over the schools campus. The gossip on every lip was the early morning announcement that there will be a picnic in two days. Even though the date for the picnic gave less time for preparation, it was warmly embraced by the students who wanted some refreshing time to interact with nature. Initially, the picnic was meant for the fifth and sixth graders, since they were thought of as a little more responsible than the ones below them and would not be a burden. However, that year's was reshuffled a little bit. The fifth and sixth graders were informed at a much earlier date to help them prepare, and the third and fourth were delayed in order to prevent them from joining in multitudes. During recess, students spread out on the playground, engaging in all manner of activities they could think of, making sure they stayed "seven meters away from the old well at the edge of the playground", like the principal had asked them to. Just as rules we
The third-grade class arrived at their picnic site, a lush green forest with tall trees and a bubbling brook. The students were excited to spend the day outdoors, and they quickly set up their picnic tables and began to explore the area. Helen and Stephanie stuck close to Mrs. Wilson, their favourite teacher. They loved spending time with her and felt safe when they were near her. As the other students started to explore the woods, some began setting up their tents and starting campfires to cook their food. Others played games or went for hikes. Helen and Stephanie watched as the other kids ran around, laughing and having fun. They felt a bit left out but were glad to be spending the day with their friends. Mrs. Wilson noticed the girls looking a bit lost and took them by the hand. "Come on, let's go explore the woods," she said. "We can look for some wildflowers or maybe even some animals." The girls perked up at the idea of exploring and eagerly followed Mrs. Wilson into t
Sunday morning had come, and the breakfast table was set with an array of delicious food that Mrs. Wilson had prepared while Helen slept. Her parents had agreed to her sleeping over at Mrs. Wilson's the night before, and she was expected to be home before Monday morning. The aroma was all-over the place, and even succeeded in slithering down Helen's nostrils and into the dream she was having about a unicorn. She sprang up with much adrenaline, and with calculated soundless steps, hid behind the door to observe Mrs. Wilson, humming her favourite song as she set the table for breakfast."Why do I get the feeling that somebody is watching me from a different helenverse?" Mrs. Wilson joked when she heard Helen mistakenly make a sound.Helen walked up gently towards her, and as she gave her a hug and greeted "Good morning", Mrs. Wilson noticed how much her focus was on the meal set on the table, "Ah, ah, ah," she said "Not until you try out the new brush I bought for you."The little girl s
The good book inspired by the architect and creator of the universe, but scribbled down for us by the flesh and blood which He deemed a little righteous in his sight, holds somewhere in its pages that, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens." Out of the seasons and purposes stated in that chapter's page, is found "a time to weep, and a time to laugh." If rewriting the fundamentals governing the universe were a right that were surrendered in the hands of the majority, the procurement of a survey to find out how many would change the things written on this passage would have been mouthwatering in every generation. Everyone would request its amendment."Who would want to weep? Who would want to lose a loved one? Who would hate happiness enough to choose sorrow?" Nobody. As the first semester was slowly drawing down its curtains, the unexpected was carefully but indirectly weaving its way into Helen's life.Back in Burnington, Joshua, he
It's never easy being the good guy, especially when it meant, not fighting to have the person you're deeply in love with. Sometimes you know that deep down, you will move heaven and earth to make him or her yours, and keep him or her happy for as long as the almighty will give you breathe. But that's where being the good guy comes in. There are sacrifices, like in Chris' case, being a man in front of Helen, and telling her "I'll be a good friend," when deep down, what your heart is craving for is not just friendship. If only people had the autocratic power to choose whom to love without the interference of the stubborn heart, we would not have to worry about the aftermath when we have been left behind to plot how we can be 'good' friends. Despite him not knowing her that much, from the first time he shook her hand and looked into her eyes at his birthday party, when Alex would not let her out of his sight, she had been the only female on his mind. Should he be the judge at a beauty co
Chris and Helen walked side by side, followed by a group of their friends, towards the riverside. The sun was high in the sky, and the warm breeze played with their hair as they chatted and laughed. The riverside was a beautiful spot, surrounded by trees and rocks, and the clear water sparkled invitingly. As they approached, they could hear the sound of laughter and splashing. The group of friends they were meeting was already there, jumping in and out of the water and lounging on the rocks. They greeted each other warmly and started to unpack their bags.Helen was wearing a sexy two-piece swimsuit that left little to the imagination. The top was a bright pink, and the bottom was black and high-waisted, hugging her curves perfectly. She readied the small sized camera, hanging around her neck like a tourist, then she began taking photos of the people, the rocks and the water from different angles. Chris found it difficult to take his eyes off her as she walked towards the water, h
A couple of weeks into her part-time job and school, Helen was having a private 9PM study as her custom was, when suddenly her phone rang. At first, she refused to answer the call because she had just fifteen minutes left to wrap up, and she had spent almost twenty minutes of the one hour, struggling to focus. Her thoughts had been preoccupied with things related to Alex and work. Alex, the hero who used to rescue her from boredom and give her stomach aches from laughter, was now bugging her thoughts. It wasn't all bad things, just a couple of times like six or seven days in a row when he'd refuse to speak to her, by giving excuses like he had to pay her mother a visit claiming she was unwell, but whenever Helen asked to go see her together with him, the tone with which he rejected her kind gesture was one indicating unfriendliness. Sometimes during lectures he was nowhere to be found, his attitude towards everything and everyone changed all of a sudden, causing Helen to worry
It was a Wednesday afternoon, and Helen sat on the edge of her bed, phone pressed against her ear as she chatted with Stephanie and their second best friend, and once favourite teacher, Mrs Wilson, on a conference call. "He's just amazing," she gushed about her new friend Alex. "We've been hanging out a lot, and he's shown me around the city. He's even taken me to meet some of his friends." Mrs. Wilson's tone suddenly turned panicked. "Helen, you need to be careful. You barely know this boy. Have you done a background check on him? Has he introduced you to his family?" Helen rolled her eyes, dismissing her teacher's worries. "Relax, Mrs Wilson. He's a nice guy, and I can take care of myself. Plus, he promised to help me find a job." "Oh, that's great," Mrs Wilson said, sounding relieved. "Is he cute?" Stephanie, who was getting a manicure at the moment and was struggling to focus, finally spoke up. "I won't say he's charming, but he's one hell of a comedian. I can't even stop myse
Their friendship had lasted only for three days, when Alex invited Helen to a birthday party at a friend's house. It was going to be a fun-filled day with new people to meet, delicious food to eat, and exciting games to play, and she couldn't wait for the day to come. It was a new neighbourhood for her, and the last thing on her mind was to be alone in her room doing nothing but eating pop corns and watching TV solo. She spent a good chunk of her afternoon getting ready for the party with the intention of wanting to look her best for Alex and the other guests. She could not tell for what reason her heart wanted her to impress Alex, but ever since they met, one side of her had been the happiest whilst the other side kept telling her not to.trust him. The most annoying thing to be is confused when someone like Alex was around her, trying every second to make her smile. There were a couple of times when she felt so much like she knew him, or that whatever they did together had happened b
Helen woke up to the sound of her alarm buzzing on her phone. She rubbed her eyes and reached for her glasses, putting them on to check the time. It was 6:00 AM, and she had to be at the university by 8:00 AM for her first class. It was hard to believe that time had flown by so fast. It felt like just yesterday that she was in high school, studying for exams and dreaming of going to university. But now, at the age of 20, she was finally here. She had saved up all her money from part-time jobs during high school and invested some in stocks. With a little help from her parents, she had enough money to buy her own house near Megaminds University, the dream school she was finally a student of. It was a small and cosy house, but it was hers, and she was proud of it. Just a week ago when she announced to her parents that she was going to move into her new home and experience life on her own, the tears of joy that flooded their eyes were like the sea on a rainy day. Her mother's unbeara
It was six in the evening when a red car pulled up in front of the McDonagh's house. There was no sound of a horn, perhaps it would have interrupted the sleep of a little princess, for in the backseat, Helen was soundly asleep. Mrs. Wilson stepped out of the car and gently shut the door behind her. Mr. and Mrs. McDonagh had been waiting for them in the front after Mrs. Wilson gave them a call fifteen minutes earlier, so they came out to meet her, and exchanged greetings."Thank you so much Mrs. Wilson." Helen's mother said to her as they broke out of a hug. "Oh Ma'am, it's no big deal." Mrs. Wilson replied and smiled "You know, Helen is like a daughter to me, I'll do anything for her. Thanks for letting me spend time with her.""We should be thanking you," Mr. McDonagh interrupted, bringing in his own share of gratitude, "if there's anyone here worthy of thanks, it really should be you. She talks about you all the time, you're like a fairy godmother, and we know she's always safe arou
Sunday morning had come, and the breakfast table was set with an array of delicious food that Mrs. Wilson had prepared while Helen slept. Her parents had agreed to her sleeping over at Mrs. Wilson's the night before, and she was expected to be home before Monday morning. The aroma was all-over the place, and even succeeded in slithering down Helen's nostrils and into the dream she was having about a unicorn. She sprang up with much adrenaline, and with calculated soundless steps, hid behind the door to observe Mrs. Wilson, humming her favourite song as she set the table for breakfast."Why do I get the feeling that somebody is watching me from a different helenverse?" Mrs. Wilson joked when she heard Helen mistakenly make a sound.Helen walked up gently towards her, and as she gave her a hug and greeted "Good morning", Mrs. Wilson noticed how much her focus was on the meal set on the table, "Ah, ah, ah," she said "Not until you try out the new brush I bought for you."The little girl s