11- Sharing is caring , especially when it comes to drinks or cookies . Ow . Why is my back so sore ? I groan and try to roll over only to be blocked by the edge of the recliner I'm resting on . Recliner ? Why am I on a recliner ? The events of last night come rushing back to me . Shit ! I sit up way too fast causing my head to spin . Ugh , I feel like crap . My mouth tastes stale , my eyes feel crusty , I feel gross and my clothes smell like alcohol . I don't even WANT to know what my hair looks like . I can feel that my ponytail is all crooked and I pull the hair tie out and put it on my wrist . My scalp aches a little as my hair falls back into place . I have no idea what time it is , but there's a little window half blocked by curtains and the junk in this room . It looks like there's daylight coming through . That doesn't actually tell me a lot . There was daylight when I fell asleep too . It could have been an hour or ten and I would have no idea . I can't even check the time because Torin took my phone and I never took to wearing a watch . I scramble out of the recliner and stretch , my back popping and cracking . Yeah the recliner might work for a little bit , but it is definitely not designed to be used as a bed . I crack open the door and peer into the hallway . The side of the hallway that leads down to the bar is dead silent , but there is noise coming from the kitchen , and something smells amazing . My stomach growls loudly . I don't think I've eaten since lunchtime yesterday . I meant to eat when I got home from work but obviously that plan went down the drain . I can't go anywhere , so surely they'll feed me . Finding water and something to eat is currently at the top of my list of priorities . I follow the smell and the clanging sound of dishes to the kitchen where I find Kyle chopping up vegetables and adding them to a GIANT pot . " Are you making food for the bar ? " I ask curiously and he jumps , stumbling backwards . " You scared me girl . Don't sneak up on me like that . Yes . I'm prepping tonight's food . " He answers grumpily . " Does the bar have a menu or something ? I didn't see one . What kind of food do serve ? " I ask . Kyle grunts and rolls his eyes . you " No menu . I make what I want and people eat what they're given . If they don't want it , they don't eat . Simple as that . " he says bluntly . He stomps off across the room . For a second I think he's just walking away from me , but he returns a moment later with a large plate which he slides across the bench to me . 29 ل 1/4 O 11:13 Fri , Aug 29 3.100 % Lesson 11 - Sharing is caring , especially when it comes to drinks or cookies . " I thought you might be waking up sometime soon . Eat . You're all skin and bones . " He eyes me judgmentally and I beam at him . " Thank you , I'm starving . This looks great . " I'm not lying . He's made bacon and eggs with some kind of bread that I don't recognise . It's warm and I suspect homemade . How long has he been here cooking for anyway ? " Cutlery is over there . " He gestures with his head to a tray by the door that's stacked full of wooden cutlery . Strange choice , but I guess it matches the vibe of this bar . Or maybe ' bar ' isn't the right description for this place . Tavern seems more accurate . I practically inhale my food and when I'm about halfway through my meal , Kyle thumps a glass of water onto the bench in front of me . " Drink . " he orders , then turns back to his cooking while grumbling . " Just lock the girl in the building . No one thought about how she would EAT . Just assumed that I'd feed her I suppose . Damn demon . " He mutters . Hmm , Kyle is a lot braver when Torin isn't here to hear it . " Is there anything I can help you with ? I could cut stuff up or wash dishes . I'm not a terrible cook and with a little direction I'm sure I could manage . " I offer , trying to be helpful . He did feed me after all . Kyle glares at me . " Absolutely not . You are not to touch so much as a single pot in this kitchen . I won't have some human girl screwing it up . I have a system . " He says forcefully . " Alright , no problem . I just wanted to help . " I answer sulkily . Kyle is kind of grumpy , although clearly not a total jerk because he did make me a really good meal . He's very different from how he was around Laura . He might have been grumpy then too but he clearly dotes on her . I can't help a bit of a smirk . " So Kyle ... How long have you been in love with Laura ? " I ask innocently . Kyle drops the pot he was holding and it falls onto the stove with a clatter , thankfully nothing spills . He turns to face me , his face is bright red and he is blustering . " That's not ... I don't .. I ... Why would you even ... " He takes in my expression and sighs . " Is it really that obvious ? " He asks , in the smallest voice I've heard from him thus far . I shrug . 29 29 مل ||| 2/4 11:13 Fri , Aug 29 Lesson 11 - Sharing is caring , especially when it comes to drinks or cookies . 藏 家 100 % 會 " It is to me , but maybe that's just because I'm an outsider . I can see you treat her special . " I explain . Kyle doesn't answer me . He just goes back to his cooking , avoiding my gaze completely . I finish my meal . I already feel a lot better . Now if I could just get a hot shower and a change of clothes things would seem a lot better . "Are you going to tell her ? " Kyle suddenly asks , jerking me from my thoughts . Huh ? Ask tell her what ? Oh , that he likes her . " No , that's not my place . But for what it's worth I think the two of you would be good together . I mean , I don't know either of you that well ... But you seem like a good match . " I say honestly . " Obviously . " Kyle grunts but from the blush on his face I can tell that he's pleased by my answer . He stomps across the kitchen and grabs something from the fridge . He returns a moment later and slides me another plate . This one has a large slice of chocolate cake . " Eat . " He insists . I eat in silence but I think I might have won another ally here , maybe even a friend . I sit and eat my cake while watching Kyle cook and it's kind of peaceful . I eat until I honestly believe I'll be sick if I eat any more . I finish and ... Now what ? Is there something I'm supposed to be doing ? I can't go anywhere , I doubt there's an actual shower here so I can't clean up . I don't have a change of clothes ... Technically I'm supposed to be at work right now . I bet my boss is freaking out because I didn't turn up . Another day of this and they'll contact my brother since he's my emergency contact . Then he's going to realise I'm missing and the police are going to get involved . What happens if they find this place ? What happens when they try to take me home and this magic makes me suffer ? The more I think about it , the more I think that Torin really didn't think this plan through . I guess it's not like he had a lot of time to think about it . I suppose if police did come looking for me I could just say I chose to be here . It would be sketchy but if I insist I'm fine it's not like they can do anything , right ? Ugh this is stressing me out . I need something to do , at distraction of some kind . Actually what I need is a hot bath , but at very least a sink I could wash up in a little will do for now . " Kyle , is there a bathroom here somewhere ? " I ask . " Of course there's a bathroom . Two of them even . The customer one is through the bar , but we have a smaller staff bathroom just off the hall . It's the next door down from where we are now . " He answers . He talks like I'm inconveniencing him , but I don't think he 29 ل ) 3/4 O 11:16 Fri , Aug 29 100 % Lesson 11 - Sharing is caring , especially when it comes to drinks or cookies . actually minds . He gave me cake , that means we're friends now . With a cheerful wave , I head in search of a bathroom . Chapter Comments