Percy visited a nursing home with his class. What seemed to be a boring weekend for a kid turned into a chance to show his talents and honesty. While classmates Jacob and Ethan mocked Percy and caused trouble, Percy sincerely helped the residents, earning their praise and his peers’ disdain.

Percy, along with his class, arrived at the nursing home, and the excitement and curiosity buzzed in the air. Their teacher, Mrs. Thompson, gathered them around in a circle, her serious expression indicating she had something important to say.

“Listen up, kids! Today will be a special day,” Mrs. Thompson began, raising her voice a little to be heard over the chatter and giggles. “We’re here to spend time with the elderly. Remember to be respectful and kind. These people have a lot of stories and wisdom to share.”

Some kids nodded, but many were still whispering and laughing. Percy stood a little apart from the others. He was a bit overweight and wore thick glasses, which made him a target for teasing. Jacob and Ethan, the usual troublemakers, were already whispering and snickering, their eyes darting toward Percy.

Mrs. Thompson clapped her hands. “Alright, let’s get started. We’ll be helping out in different areas today. Make sure you listen and follow instructions.”

They split into groups and were led by the staff to different parts of the nursing home. Percy ended up in the recreation room with Jacob and Ethan. The room was filled with comfortable chairs, tables, and a large shelf of board games and puzzles. The air smelled faintly of lavender and cleaning supplies.

“Hey, Percy, nice glasses,” Jacob sneered as soon as Mrs. Thompson was out of earshot. Ethan snickered, adding, “Yeah, do they help you see all the candy you’re going to eat?”

Percy ignored them, his face turning red. He walked over to a frail-looking woman sitting alone and smiled at her. “Hi, I’m Percy. Can I help you with anything?”

The woman’s face lit up. “Oh, hello, dear. I’m Mrs. Henderson. Would you like to help me with this puzzle?”

“Sure!” Percy said, sitting down beside her.

Jacob rolled his eyes. “What a loser,” he muttered to Ethan. “Come on, let’s have some fun.”

The two boys started moving things around on the tables, swapping people’s knitting bags, and hiding books. They giggled as they watched the confused reactions of the elderly residents.

Percy worked earnestly while the others made trouble. He helped Mrs. Henderson find the right puzzle pieces, patiently listening to her stories. It was clear that she appreciated his kindness.

“Look at Percy, teacher’s pet,” Ethan mocked, loud enough for Percy to hear. “Maybe he thinks he’ll get a gold star.”

Percy’s ears turned pink, but he kept his focus on helping Mrs. Henderson. “I’m just trying to be nice,” he mumbled.

Mrs. Thompson came back to check on them. She noticed the commotion Jacob and Ethan were causing. “Jacob, Ethan, what are you doing?” she asked sternly.

“Nothing, Mrs. Thompson,” Jacob said innocently, though his smirk gave him away.

The children were taken to a large hall where they were supposed to spend time with the elderly and play games like bingo. The room was filled with tables and chairs arranged in neat rows. A big banner that read “Bingo Day” hung from the ceiling, adding a festive touch to the atmosphere. The elderly residents were already seated, chatting among themselves and waiting for the game to begin.

Mrs. Thompson clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, kids, find a seat with one of our guests and let’s get ready to play some bingo!”

Percy quickly spotted Mrs. Henderson and made his way to her table. He was glad to see her again. She greeted him with a warm smile. “Hello, Percy! Ready to play some bingo?”

“Yes, Mrs. Henderson,” Percy replied eagerly, taking a seat beside her.

Meanwhile, Jacob and Ethan found themselves seated with a kindly old man who introduced himself as Mr. Walters. They exchanged mischievous glances and began whispering to each other. It wasn’t long before they hatched a plan to cause trouble.

As the game began, the bingo caller started reading out the numbers.

Jacob and Ethan whispered to Mr. Walters, convincing him to shout “Bingo!” even though he didn’t have a winning card. “Trust us, it’ll be funny,” Jacob urged.

Mr. Walters, looking confused but amused, raised his hand and called out, “Bingo!”

The room fell silent for a moment, then erupted in gentle laughter as the bingo caller chuckled and explained that it was too soon.

“Not yet, Mr. Walters. Keep playing!”

Jacob and Ethan snickered, but their fun didn’t stop there. They eyed Natalie, an elderly woman who was sitting alone and carefully marking her bingo card. With a sly grin, Ethan sneaked over and grabbed her bingo sheet while she was momentarily distracted. He quickly made a mess of it, scribbling out numbers and drawing random marks before slipping it back in front of her.

Natalie looked down at her card in confusion, her brow furrowing. Just as she was about to call out “Bingo!” with a card that now made no sense, Percy noticed what had happened. He sprang up from his seat and shouted, “Bingo!” at the top of his lungs.

The room burst into laughter again, and the bingo caller smiled. “Oh, looks like we have another false alarm! Percy, do you know how to play bingo?”

Percy’s cheeks turned pink as he nodded. “Yes, I do. I just wanted to help.”

Natalie looked at Percy, realizing what he had done. “Thank you, young man. You saved me from quite a bit of embarrassment,” she said warmly.

Mrs. Henderson patted Percy’s arm. “You’re a good boy, Percy.”

Jacob and Ethan, watching from across the room, scowled. Their plan to humiliate Natalie had been foiled, and Percy was once again in the spotlight for his kindness. Mrs. Thompson noticed the commotion and walked over. “What’s going on here?” she asked, looking at Jacob and Ethan suspiciously.

“Oh, nothing, Mrs. Thompson,” Jacob said, trying to look innocent.

Mrs. Thompson turned to Percy and smiled. “Thank you for helping out, Percy. It’s important to look out for each other.”

Natalie, now sitting beside Percy, began to bond with him quickly. She shared stories about her youth, and Percy listened intently, asking questions and laughing at her anecdotes. They seemed to form a special connection that day.

Seeing this, Jacob and Ethan became even more annoyed. “We need to get back at him,” Ethan whispered to Jacob. “He’s making us look bad.”

Jacob nodded. “Yeah, we’ll think of something. Just wait.”

As the bingo game continued, Percy felt a warm sense of satisfaction. He had done the right thing, and it felt good to be appreciated. The laughter and scolding of Jacob and Ethan faded into the background as he focused on his new friendship with Natalie.

Jacob and Ethan approached Percy after the bingo game, wearing fake smiles that made Percy uneasy. “Hey, Percy,” Jacob started, trying to sound sincere. “We’re really sorry for mocking you before. We were just joking around.”

“Yeah,” Ethan chimed in. “We actually think you’re pretty cool, and we want to be friends.”

Percy looked at them skeptically. “Really?”

“Yeah, really,” Jacob said, nodding eagerly. “But, you know, to show you’re really one of us, you need to help us with something.”

“What is it?” Percy asked, wary of their intentions.

Ethan leaned in closer and whispered, “We’re going to prank Natalie and steal some money from her. It’ll be hilarious. And if you help us, we’ll know you’re on our side.”

Percy’s heart sank. He had grown fond of Natalie and couldn’t believe they wanted him to do something so mean. “No way,” he said firmly. “I’m not going to do that. It’s wrong.”

Jacob’s smile faded, replaced by a scowl. “Fine, be that way,” he snapped. “But you’ll regret it.”

True to their threat, Jacob and Ethan ran to Mrs. Thompson, fake tears in their eyes. “Mrs. Thompson!” Jacob cried out. “Percy tried to steal money from Natalie!”

Mrs. Thompson’s face hardened, and she marched over to Percy. “Is this true, Percy?” she demanded.

“No, Mrs. Thompson, it’s not true!” Percy protested, feeling panic rise in his chest. “I would never do that!”

Just then, Natalie stepped forward, her eyes sharp and determined. “I can vouch for Percy,” she said. “He has been nothing but kind and respectful. Jacob and Ethan are the ones causing trouble. They’re lying to get him in trouble.”

Mrs. Thompson looked at Natalie, then at the two boys. “Is this true?” she asked, her voice stern.

Jacob and Ethan shuffled their feet, avoiding her gaze. “Well, um…” Ethan stammered.

“It was just a joke,” Jacob muttered.

Mrs. Thompson’s face softened as she turned back to Percy. “I’m sorry, Percy. I should have known better than to believe them without checking the facts.”

Percy nodded, relief washing over him. “It’s okay, Mrs. Thompson.”

Natalie smiled at Percy. “Thank you for standing up for me, Percy. You’re a good boy.”

Jacob and Ethan were made to apologize to both Percy and Natalie. As they did, Percy felt a sense of pride and relief. He had done the right thing, and it felt good to have someone stand up for him.

A week later, Percy eagerly headed to the nursing home to visit Natalie. Since they first met, he had come every day to spend time with her and play bingo. The time they spent together had become the highlight of his day. He was practically skipping as he approached the front doors, holding a small bouquet of flowers he had picked on the way.

As he entered the hall where they usually met, Percy’s smile faded. The room was filled with its usual crowd of elderly residents, but Natalie’s usual spot was empty. Percy’s heart began to race. He quickly looked around, hoping she was just somewhere else.

Percy approached one of the staff members, a kind-looking woman named Mrs. Green. “Excuse me, Mrs. Green, have you seen Natalie? She’s not in the hall.”

Mrs. Green’s face fell, and she hesitated. “Um, Percy, why don’t you come with me? I need to talk to you about something.”

Percy felt a knot form in his stomach as he followed her down a quiet hallway. They entered a small, peaceful room with soft lighting and comfortable chairs. Mrs. Green gestured for Percy to sit down.

“Percy,” she began gently, “Natalie was always so happy to see you every day. You brought so much joy to her life.”

Percy’s eyes widened, and his heart pounded. “What do you mean ‘was’? Where is she?”

Mrs. Green took a deep breath. “Natalie passed away yesterday. She had been feeling unwell for a while, but she didn’t want to worry you. She cherished every moment she spent with you.”

Percy’s world seemed to crumble. “You’re lying! That’s not true! Where is she?” he cried, tears streaming down his face.

Mrs. Green wrapped her arms around Percy in a comforting hug. “I’m so sorry, Percy. I know this is hard. But she wanted you to know how happy you made her feel. With you, she didn’t feel lonely anymore.”

Percy sobbed, feeling a mixture of sadness and disbelief. After a few minutes, he started to calm down, the warmth of Mrs. Green’s embrace helping to soothe him. He wiped his tears with his sleeve. “I… I can’t believe she’s gone.”

Mrs. Green nodded, her own eyes glistening with tears. “She cared about you very much, Percy. And there’s something else I need to tell you.”

Percy looked up, his eyes red and puffy. “What is it?”

“Natalie mentioned you in her will,” Mrs. Green said softly. “She wasn’t a poor lady; she had ungrateful children who didn’t want her to live with them. You were the grandson she never had, so she decided to leave her mansion to you.”

Percy was stunned. “She left her mansion to me?”

Mrs. Green nodded. “Yes, Percy. She wanted to make sure you were taken care of. You meant the world to her.”

Percy sat in silence for a moment, trying to process everything. He felt a deep sense of loss but also a glimmer of gratitude for the time he had spent with Natalie. He knew he would miss her terribly, but he was also touched by her final gesture of kindness.

“I’ll never forget her,” Percy whispered, clutching the flowers he had brought. “She was the best friend I ever had.”

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