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Great-uncle Richard an to wonder if I hadn't iaret returned to work the next day, but she looked pale and sickly to me When I asked her how she was, she said, "Fine," quickly and left it at that Any htened She looked like she would burst into tears if I dared pursue her

I suppose it was quite different between Randall and me at school: he looked like he would burst into tears every tier and reaction to hi my father If it weren't for Randall's insistent search for hiical crisis, I thought I blamed him and yet thanked him in my mind He kept away, just off to the side, just behind ivenes

s

Finally, on Saturday ive hih tea on Sunday After breakfast chores, I decided I would surprise hiether that afternoon Actually, all I wanted to do was take a nice walk in Kensington Gardens and talk We could buy so to drink and sit on a bench It was a beautiful day with few clouds and lots of blue sky There was a warmer breeze, too I did love the fresh, clean smell that followed precipitation here

Buoyed by the weather and , I practically skipped along the streets I knew Randall slept late on Saturday and would surely be just rising

"They et up so early for class," he always co revenge on the school

The dorht My own footsteps were the loudest noise, echoing off the walls and in the corridors I conjured up Randall's look of surprise when I appeared in his roo myself in the crook of his ars, the events of the past week, andto no one but yourself After a while you grew tired of the sound of your own voice Your head turned into an echo chamber and you knew every answer to every question before it was even asked

Loneliness is a solitary bird lost in a northern wind flapping its wings desperately in search of its flock, its call to the other birds falling to earth How cold and gray the world would look even on days without any clouds

It was tier had beco side someone I needed

I paused at Randall's door and listened It was deadly quiet For a otten up and left It was that fear that stopped ht have been able to renorance can be bliss

I reached for the knob and turned it, happy he had left his door unlocked I opened it quickly and stepped into his roo to find him curled up in his bed, still asleep I'd wake hiiveness and he would smile with happiness in his eyes

Instead, my heart stopped and started Leslie opened her eyes immediately Randall was next to her, still asleep "Mon Dieu!" Leslie cried

Randall opened his eyes and groaned

"Huh?"

"Goodup She had no inhibitions about revealing her nudity