Chapter 4 : Hope

"Don't tell me you didn't bring cash kid, come on..." and Johnny is back to being stressed, for fuck sake what was I thinking!!

"My bad man, I'll keep the crisps back..." thoroughly embarrassed I went to put it back but Phil popped up out of nowhere.

"Consider it a random act of kindness from one chip lover to another. Let me take care of those chips for you. We all can use a little help sometimes." holy shit, is this man a saint?! He has such a pure smile on his face, like has no ulterior motives. ARE YOU EVEN HUMAN?!

I was too shell shocked that someone would want to help the resident junkie this much, I just went with the flow. Phil paid for his groceries and my bag of crisps and we walked out of the store.

"I'm really grateful Mr. Dunphy, I swear I'll pay you back for this..." I need to repay this mans kindness, or it's just gonna haunt me.

"Don't worry about it Finn, if you wanna pay me back then just do well in school. Remember, life is like a puzzle, and sometimes it takes a little extra effort to find the missing pieces. But with some determination, support, and a positive mindset, you'll be well on your way to a brighter, sober future. Trust me, kid, you've got this!" Phil dropped an absolute knowledge bomb on me while pat my shoulder, on the side Luke was eat a candy bar like nothing of note was going on here.

Its been years since someone spoke such encouraging words to me, but inside me I could tell the kid named Finn had never heard such words. Both his parents have always been emotionally unavailable when he needed them most. So hearing these words something deep inside was moved.

"What if I'm not good enough to change?" without being able to hold back I asked Phil while I fighting back tears, I got a second chance but what if I fuck this up to?

" Remember, it's not about reaching some arbitrary standard of "good enough," but about embracing who you are and striving to be the best version of yourself. " I looked up at him and blinked my tears away, embracing who I am huh...That means embracing who Finn is as well.

"Thanks Phil, I'll be the best version of me. And I swear I'll pay you back for all of this!!" Like I was truly given a new lease on life my face lit up with new life. Even Phil seemed surprised that his words had such a big impact.

I started running back home, there is only one thing I've always done if I needed to come to terms with something. I don't need to change myself, just need to be the best version of myself!

[Phil POV]

And just like that, Finn took off with his bag of chips, like a running gazelle in the savannah. He seemed like he could really use some uplifting words. Poor kid, I hope he finds the courage to turn his life around, just like a caterpillar transforming into a majestic butterfly.

"Alright Luke it's time to pick up Alex!" I said energetically, good old Phil the wise strikes again!

"Kayy" Luke sang as he followed my lead.

After picking up Alex from her cello classes we all got back home, in the living room Claire and Haley were sitting. Claire watching the television while Haley was on her phone.

"We're home!!" I announced, getting no reaction from Haley other than a nod.

"Welcome back, you got all the groceries right?" Claire asked as she looked away from the television.

"Of course, oh and Haley I met one of your classmates." That got her attention alright.

"Oh god who did you see and what did you say?!" Haley instantly looked up from a phone panicked, Alex snorted from that reaction.

"A guy named Finn Matthews. I think you should reach out to him, be a good friend. He could really use someone like you. Poor kid is trying to change" I said with a touch of seriousness. That young man needs some positive influences in his life.

[Haley POV]

"A guy named Finn Matthews" wait what...

Finn...?

It looks I stopped listening to whatever dad was saying, for a good while at that.

"Haley are you ok? Do you know this Finn character?" asked mom suspiciously, oh come on how the hell did she already get suspicious!

"Umm yeah I've known Finn since freshmen year, he stopped attending school after his mom passed away..."

Finn was one of the most popular guys in the school in his first year in school itself, but was also the biggest playboy in the school. He literally slept with half the girls in the school! Yet there was something about him that made him endearing to everyone, he was like a positive whirlwind.

A whirlwind that was dead set on dating me.

For the last half of our freshmen year he chased me everywhere for a date, I would have agreed in a heartbeat if I didn't know he had zero intentions of an actual relationship.

He still kept sleeping with whoever he wanted while he kept pursuing me, he even joined Dylans band to try steal me away from him. All in all it was very good for my popularity and I had to admit it was endearing how hard he tried, just not for the right reasons!

When our sophomore year started his mom passed away, the change in his personality after that was so drastic it didn't even seem like the same person.

He ignored everyone, fought anyone who talked to him and started skipping school. The last time he came to school he got busted for smoking weed in the bathroom and got suspended for 2 weeks.

I got scared of him, I couldn't talk to him. After he was gone I regretted it so much, I wanted to help him. But he kept falling lower and lower and I just got so scared of what he was becoming that I tried to forget about. The rest of the school already had anyway...

"Anyway I'm going to my room..." I got up still lost in thought.

"Haley, reach out to him. Poor guy is trying to turn over a new leaf." Dad said with as much seriousness as I've ever heard from him. All I could muster up was a nod.

I plopped on to my bed and thought, if he's trying to change why can't I try and help at least now?

I don't think I'd admit to anyone but I kinda miss him chasing me around...