Lesson 47- When you wake up, smile and get up. There’s a new day of fun waiting for you!
We let Catcher go home early. He’s been working extra to cover for me not turning up but he doesn’t like to work TOO late. He has a wife and kids at home that he was eager to return to and he likes to be able to be awake for at least part of the day so that he can spend time with them, which is fair I suppose. Still, by the time Torin and I close up, I’m totally exhausted. Serious and emotional conversations are hard. Plus I’ve been sleeping all sorts of weird hours the last couple days. Torin isists on sticking around to help me clean up. I think he’s still a little doubtful that I really have forgiven him because he’s being almost annoyingly helpful. But it’s kind of adorable so I let it be. If he’s still like this tomorrow then I’ll talk to him about it. For now I don’t complain as he takes the cloth directly from my hands and begins wiping down the bar. I just use my foot to tap on Jane’s trapdoor to let her know it’s time to eat. It flips open and I drop empty bottles down there one at a time and listen for the sound of crunching glass. One day I’ll work out what Jane is, but that day won’t be today. I’m too tired to even think about it. We finish cleaning and I wave at Torin as he leaves the bar. But when I close the trap door and go to head to my room I find him hovering awkwardly in the hallway.
“Oh hey, I thought that you left already.” I comment, fighting a yawn. Torin shakes his head.
“No, I wanted to give you this.” He holds out the box of books that I returned before. I fight the impulse to yank them from his hands. I want those books.
“You know you don’t have to bribe me to be friends with you, right?” I say clearly. I want the books, but I don’t want him to think that he needs to keep getting me stuff to keep me happy. I’m not friends with him because of what he can give me.
“Do you not want them? I thought you said that you thought the gift was thoughtful, even though you didn’t accept it the first time.” He mumbles.
“Of course I want them. I just don’t want you thinking that you have to keep getting me stuff. I don’t even want to know how much you’ve spent getting my room and bathroom set up. Obviously I needed those things, but I won’t suddenly stop being your friend if you don’t give me things. That’s not why I decided to befriend you anyway.” I clarify. Torin smiles.
“Alright.” He agrees, then holds the box of books out to me again. I grin and take them.
“Thanks.” I tell him appreciatively. Torin reaches out and opens my bedroom door for me. I have to brush past him to go in so I pause right in front of him.
“Goodnight Torin, or morning I guess.” I say sweetly, smiling up at him. He pats me lightly on the back.
“Rest well Rina.” He says softly before pushing me lightly on the back. I take a step forward and he closes the door behind me. I place the books carefully on my shelf, get changed and crawl straight into bed. I’m tired, but much happier than I have been for days. Finally I can sleep without stressing so much, except sleep takes longer than I expect because my brain keeps replaying Torin’s dark eyes and his expression the moment that he told me he was lucky to have me as a friend.
I jolt awake with a start as my bedroom door slams open. I’m struggling to sit up as Laura rushes in and bounces onto the end of my bed where she sits cross legged.
“Rina! Kyle said that you’re talking to us again. I’m so sorry we lied, I swear I wasn’t trying to trick you. I just didn’t want you to worry about it. Do you forgive me?” She says all of this in one breath and I wonder how she managed it without passing out. If I did that I would be left panting for breath.
“Thanks for apologising and yes I forgive you.” I grumble out, sitting up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and stretching my arms. Laura looks strange but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Laura breathes out a sigh of relief.
“I’m so glad. I felt so bad. I wanted to burst in days ago but Torin told me I had to wait for you to be okay with it. Oh shit, I totally didn’t knock. Sorry, I shouldn’t have woken you. I can leave if you want.” She offers reluctantly. I snort out a laugh.
“It’s fine. I’m awake now. You can stay.” I say cheerfully, slightly more awake now.
“Perfect, because I have a surprise for you. You aren’t working tonight.” She says excitedly, bouncing in place with repressed energy.
“Huh? What am I doing then?” I say dumbly. Laura grins and claps her hands together.
“We need some bonding time, so… It’s girls night!” She exclaims and I finally work out why Laura looks weird. She’s wearing a normal jacket, but underneath she isn’t properly dressed, instead she’s wearing a set of cute flannel pyjamas. Blue with little white stars all over them. I don’t know how I missed that. I blame the fact that I was still waking up.
“But… Who is working then?” I ask, trying to catch up.
“Catcher agreed to work the first half of the night and if he has to leave then Torin offered to close early. He must think you need this because he certainly wouldn’t be doing that for me.” She points out and I raise an eyebrow.
“Right… Well… What’s on the agenda for this girls night?” I ask, partly to change the subject and partly because the idea of a girls night is actually pretty exciting. I’ve never really had one before.
“Well, Kyle is making us some special treats, and I brought my laptop so we can find movies to watch. I also grabbed some face masks and nail stuff and, ooh, my curling iron. I’ve been dying to play with your hair. I know it’s all kind of stereotypical but that doesn’t mean it won’t be fun. I even wore my pyajamas so it can be like a proper slumber party.” She says enthusiastically. I’m not surprised that she managed to loop Kyle into this. She doesn’t know it but she has the guy wrapped around her little finger. I am surprised that she dragged Catcher and Torin into this. Catcher because he doesn’t like taking extra shifts. I’m surprised about Torin’s involvement. Not because I don’t think that he would want to do something nice, that’s to be expected. I’m mostly surprised that Laura would dare ask him for a favour. She barely speaks to him. I doubt that she actually did ask him. He probably overheard her making plans with Kyle and offered.
“That sounds like fun. Just give me a few minutes to get myself washed up and we can figure out what we’re going to watch.” I agree easily and Laura beams a bright smile at me. I guess I do have actual friends here after all. If it weren’t for the fact that I can’t leave or call my brother, this situation would be perfect. As it is, I’m going to make the best of it and enjoy my first real girls night.
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