After getting away from his cruel father's tyranny, Randall has to learn how to live again, and accept the person he was meant to be - with a little help of a local bartender...
*****
An empty shell is all what is left of twenty-five-yea...
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-Randall-
I slept almost twelve hours that night, and when I woke up, I still felt like I could continue sleeping. I stayed under the covers for a while, feeling surprisingly peaceful. My eyes were still swollen from all that crying yesterday, and it wasn't easy to keep them open.
Somehow, I didn't fall back to sleep. When I finally got out of the bed, I put on my sweatpants and a hoodie before visiting the toilet. After I was done, I headed to the door, but stopped right after I cracked it open.
Cole was humming again.
I just stared through the gap, seeing nothing but the opposite wall, and listened. He'd stop humming once I stepped out, so I wasn't in a hurry. It was so soothing... I was sure I'd fall asleep where I stood if I listened to him long enough. That was why I had to push the door open and step outside.
I was right. As soon as I made loud enough noise, the humming stopped, and Cole came to peek around the corner.
"Good morning!" he said with a wide smile.
"Morning," I mumbled my reply as I walked to him.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Like a baby."
"Great! You hungry?"
I was, so he told me to go sit down at the table while he continued making breakfast. Omelets this time. I watched him as he grabbed a pan and continued humming. He kept glancing at me as if to make sure I was still there.
"Did you..." I started slowly, feeling awkward. "...Sleep well?"
"I did," he said, his smile changing a little. It became warmer. And I felt even more awkward.
"Good... Good..."
"How many eggs?" he asked.
"I don't know... You decide," I mumbled. "Same as you."
"Aight!"
I let out a silent sigh at myself. I was so terrible at human interactions... I really wished I was a cat.
"So... You have a day off...?" I asked, mentally slapping myself. Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut all of a sudden? I could feel a slight heat rising up on my cheeks.
"Yeah, nothing has changed at work. At least yet," he said with his fingers crossed. "Is there something you want to do today?"
"No... No, I was just... I don't know."
Okay, seriously, just stop talking...
"I'm all ears."
"I... Uh..." I didn't actually have anything on my mind, but I was being so awkward I just had to come up with something – fast. "I could use some fresh air..."
