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...
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An empty shell is all what is left of twenty-five-yea...
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-Randall-
I stayed up all night, staring at the ceiling, trying so hard not to think about what I'd done. I... No... I didn't... Yes I did... No! That was... That didn't happen!
Yes, it did.
I...
I had retreated into my room pretty soon after I had... done that... Cole had asked if I was all right before going to bed, and I lied to him. Well, I had no idea if it was a lie when I said I was good. Maybe? No? Yes? No?
I wasn't sure what I was expecting. I tried so hard to hold on to my own voice. I did my hardest to remember why I'd... why I had kissed Cole.
I did that... I really did.
But at the same time, I could feel things crawling on my skin, nasty things. The silence in the room was practically begging for my father to start yelling at me. Part of me was afraid of his words. Part of me was afraid of the silence. Eventually, I didn't want to hear even my own voice. I needed the silence. I didn't want to deal with anything. I didn't want to deal with what I'd done.
When the morning arrived, I stayed in my bed, still fighting. I heard Cole getting up. I didn't even breathe as I listened to the sounds he made. I could hear him stop behind my door after he got out of his room. The feeling of something crawling on my skin returned as I waited for him to do something... wishing he didn't knock on my door.
He didn't. He continued his way to the kitchen. I let out a deep breath. I was so goddamn grateful he left me alone. I really couldn't face him. I wasn't sure if I could face him ever again. Or if I even wanted to.
I...
Suddenly, I couldn't stay still anymore. His presence was getting unbearable. I couldn't stand the idea of seeing him. He would eventually knock on my door and ask if I was all right. I couldn't do that. I didn't want to see him.
I didn't want to face anything.
When I heard the shower being turned on, I acted. I didn't even think about what I was doing when I got dressed as fast as I could. I just had to get out. I hurried to the front door, making sure Cole couldn't hear me as I put my shoes on...
And left.
The next hour was a blur to me. I just walked, trying to get as far away from him as I could. I refused to let a single thought appear in my mind. I couldn't deal with any of it. I just wanted it all to stop.
But it was I who had to stop.
I'd reached a river, and I stopped to stare at it. I wasn't sure where I was. Not in the city, that was for sure. I only saw trees around me. There were no pathways anywhere to be seen, only the one made by animals under my feet. I didn't care how I got there. I just wanted to be left completely alone, and now I was. I heard nothing over the water running past me. For a while, I just watched it, unable to form a single thought.
