Pausing however, as if suddenly changing his mind half way, he told you, "Oh, it's... it's nothing. I guess all of this stuff with your mom and your family, it's just kinda coming at me all at once. It's a lot to deal with. I probably just need to let it sink in, you know?"
"Oh... Well, okay then. If you're sure that's all it is..." Feeling a little skeptical that this was the case. What exactly was he about to say?
"Yeah, no, it is. Sorry, dude. Anyway, what were you saying?"
"Nothing important really," you shrugged, it seeming of little consequence now. Having been kind of sidetracked by Randall's odd behavior.
Heading over to his car then, looking as if he was ready to make a speedy exit, you asked him, "So, you just gonna head back home now?" Wondering if he might actually want to hang out for a while somewhere instead.
"Yeah. I think Mads said she was coming over tonight," he told you, putting an abrupt end to that idea. Having once again been pipped to the post by one of his 'other' friends. "Apparently she's working on making a dress for me or something. I think it's meant to be a surprise for Christmas."
"Ah, okay. Cool. Well, what about next week? You wanna meet up sometime?"
"I eh... I'm not really sure if I'm honest, dude. Work is still keeping me pretty busy, and Aisha and Mads are always coming over as well. Plus, I've got another one of those stupid dinner party things to go to on Saturday..."
This admittedly kind of sucked, mirroring the previous two weeks, but you did see the opportunity to turn a negative into a positive and quickly pounced on it. "Well then, why don't I come over and help you pick out another outfit like I did last time?" you suggested, not wanting to pass up another opportunity to see him prancing around in his underwear. Adding, "Then we can maybe hang out on Sunday."
He seemed slightly **** however. "Uh, I dunno, Tim. That's kind of unfair on you. Having to hang around all night while I'm not there."
"It's no problem, really. I don't mind." Having managed to amuse yourself well enough the last time.
"I could end up being out all night though," he said, almost as if he was looking for excuses. "Some of those old cronies won't shut up once you get a drink in them..." You however were adamant. Not wanting to take no for an answer.
"Alright, then I'll come over earlier on and we can hang during the day instead," you told him, thinking that this was a fair enough compromise. He wouldn't be worrying about you being stuck in the apartment all alone, and you'd still get to see him get changed before you left. "Come on, dude. We barely ever get to see each other anymore. Not like we used to."
It took a minute or two, but eventually he caved. "Okay then. I guess," he sighed. It having seemed for a moment like he didn't actually want you there.
You quickly dismissed this thought though and said you'd see him on Saturday, waving him off then as he got in his car and drove away.
The next week went by pretty slowly, with nothing much of interest happening. You did manage to work up enough courage to engage in a brief two minute conversation with Allison in the cafeteria queue at lunchtime. Giving you the slightest sliver of hope that your relationship with her wasn't completely tarnished. She even laughed at a few of your jokes which was a good sign. Perhaps it was welcoming Randall back into the bosom of your family that had given you this new found positivity and confidence. Your mother, after he had visited, confessing to you that she thought her sister would be proud of how well "that boy is coping", and that he really has made the best of a truly impossible and terrifying predicament. She also suggested, completely off her own back, that invite him over for Thanksgiving the following week. Not wanting him to be on his own for the holidays.
When you put this to Randall the following day, he seemed rather pleased to get the invite and readily accepted, but was also a little surprised. Having obviously not expected things to happen this quickly.
As for his own week, it appeared much the same as the previous two from what he told you. Though he did appear a little more upbeat now than he had been when you'd last spoken to him (or at least as upbeat as you could appear through a text). Actually looking forward to seeing you at the weekend...
You: C U Saturday then, bright and early?
Randall: Sure thing. Come on over whenever. Been quite a while since I gave U a whooping at COD!
Finally. Looks like he's back to his old self again, you smiled, on reading his reply. I really hope it isn't going to be like this every month.
Arriving at Randall's on the Saturday morning then (getting a lift there from your Dad), you found him primed and ready to go, with his Xbox already set up and two controllers waiting for you on the couch. Having apparently not had the chance to play it since the last time you were here.
"Someone's keen," you chuckled, grabbing a seat.
"Well, after the week of work I've had, you'd be **** to kick back, unwind and play some Call of Duty too!" he said, joining you on the couch. Dressed pretty damn casually - even for him - in a plain gray jogging suit and his hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"That bad, huh?"
"Yeah, but it's gradually getting better. One last big push and the campaign will be over." Clearly he was mighty pleased about this, though his happy expression didn't last for long. "Then I guess there will be even more of these stupid ass schmoozing sessions to have to deal with."
"On the plus side though. You do get eat free food and free booze all night."
"True," he laughed. Jumping back up off the couch again. "Speaking of which, you fancy a beer?"
Beer... already? you thought, looking over at the clock. "Dude, it's not even twelve o'clock yet!"
Randall just shrugged. "I know. But why not start as you mean to go on, huh?" Heading then towards the fridge.
You were actually kind of surprised by this - him starting so early. Sure, he had access to **** whenever he wanted, and inside he was still an eighteen year old boy... it's just after living out your Auntie's life these past three months, you'd have thought he would have a little more restrained than that (especially as he was supposed to be going to a dinner party tonight - with ****).
Guess he must be trying to give himself a head start or something so that it's not quite as boring, you figured, rejecting his offer and watching as he grabbed himself one and cracked it open. Not that really made it seem all that better.
Thankfully he did pace himself, having just one before lunch and then another two after, persuading you to join him as you whiled the hours away shooting pixelated bad guys and talking about nothing. It was certainly an improvement over last Sunday that was certain. Though he did get kinda quiet when you brought this up and quickly downed the rest of his beer.
"So, hows about this dinner party then," you said, as the afternoon slowly began to dwindle away. "Who's ass are you kissing this time?"
"Same dudes. Ryan's been trying to get in bed with them for years apparently and they're finally softening up. I guess he's using me as the sweetener."
"I guess so," you agreed, it certainly seeming that way from your perspective. "Speaking of which, you got a dress picked out yet?" Grinning slightly as you joked, "Or do you need my expert advice?"
"Expert advice? Yeah right!" Randall laughed. Explaining then that, "Trust me, dude. I know way more about dresses and stuff now than you'll ever know. I was just in a bit of a panic last week cause it was so short notice, that's all."
You were of course well aware of this. Randall being an actual woman who wore dresses and you just being a horny 17 year old who liked to see hot women wearing them. But the manner in which he said this did indicate that perhaps your work was already done this time, and that there would be no parade of outfits for you.
"Oh. So you do have one?"
"Yeah. Thought I'd go with the purple this time," he informed you, much to your disappointment. Recalling one of the other dresses that he'd shown you last Friday when he was still deciding. "You know, the backless number. That way I'll get a bit more support and my tits won't be spilling out all the time."
Yeah. We definitely don't want that... you thought, sarcastically, rather gutted that this particular dress wouldn't be quite so showy (at least not in the frontal area). In all honesty though, you'd only got a brief glimpse, and pretty much anything on Randall's body looked good, so you decided to at least give it a chance before condemning it completely.
Finishing off his fifth beer of the day then, Randall put down his controller and lifted himself up off the couch. Groaning as he did. "Well, I suppose I'd better go get ready. Time's ticking away and I'm supposed to be meeting Ryan at his place at seven. It'll take me a good half hour to get there."
This was news to you, having not expected his boss to be at this thing also. "Oh. So Cole's not going this time?"
"Nah. He made a bit of an ass out of himself in front of Windham's wife last week. So Ryan thought it'd be better if he went instead."
You almost let out a chuckle at this, wondering what exactly the pervy bastard did. Perhaps he tried to make a pass at her or something, seeing how, from what you'd seen and what Randall had told you, that seemed to be the kind of thing he'd do.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go jump in the shower."
"Okay, sure. Just give me a shout when you need me to fetch and carry stuff for you," you called out after him. Primed and ready once more for lingerie locating duty.
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