Just Close Your Eyes (Phan)

Chapter 3

The next morning I woke up pretty confused. Firstly, I had woken up naturally. This was unusual for me, because normally people woke me to tell me I wasn't allowed to sleep where I was sleeping. Secondly, I was comfortable. I wasn't cold or wet and I was lying on something soft. It was an experience I hadn't had for over a year.

I yawned widely and stretched every muscle in my body, while the details of last night were getting back. When I opened my eyes, I saw Martyn was already up. I sat up, letting my eyes take in the room in daylight. The curtains were still closed, but a little beam of sunlight sneaked in anyway. I noticed the little note on Martyn's sleeping bag and crawled over to get it.

Good morning Dan,

The shop opens at 9 o'clock, but you can stay as long as you like. Everything you need for your breakfast is in the kitchen, please take as much as you like. When you walk through the kitchen you get in a small hall which is attached to the shop and the third door is to the bathroom. I've left a towel there, so if you want to shower, that's fine. I'm sorry I don't have any shampoo here, but if you decide to stay we can get it after the shop is closed.

Martyn

I pulled out my phone, checking the time. 9,15. It was a great feeling knowing I could easily fall back on my pillow and not get up for another hour. It wasn't what I did, because I was wide awake by now. I might as well get up and see how I could spend my day.

I pulled on my t-shirt and skinny jeans, leaving my jacket with my bag next to where I had slept. I didn't think my hair looked like it would be accepted by society right now, but Martyn would be in the shop if it opened at nine. I could fix my appearance after breakfast, maybe even have a shower.

When I walked into the shop, I wore my jacket and had my bag swung over my shoulder. I had eaten and showered and was ready to face humanity again. My friends of last night didn't count as humans, otherwise I would never be ready.

Martyn smiled when he saw me, but it dropped a bit when he saw I was ready to go. 'Good morning. Are you leaving already?'

'Good morning. Yes, I don't want to be a burden.' I knew very well that having a boy with a lip piercing and completely dressed in black in your shop wasn't getting customers in.

'You sure? It's raining outside,' he said.

'I don't want to give your shop the wrong impression,' I said, gesturing at my clothes.

His smile returned. 'You won't. You're by far the worst I've had in my shop, most people who come here are pretty alternative. At the moment there is no one here, but you'll see if you stay for a while.'

'I guess I'll stay then,' I said, secretly relieved I didn't have to go into the rain. His smile grew wider, like he was actually happy to have me there.

I walked back to the living room, dumping my bag and jacket on the couch. After that, I started to discover the shop. The music section seemed the most interesting, because I thought music could say a lot about people. Of course he had some pop music, but to my surprise I found a lot of other genres as well. I should've guessed judging by the music that was playing in the shop. I didn't know the song or the band, but I didn't think any radio station would play it anytime soon.

'See anything you like?' Martyn asked from somewhere in the shop.

'You have a lot of different kinds of music, I think it would be difficult to not find anything,' I said.

The last notes of the song faded away and a moment later the start of 'The Only Hope For Me Is You' by My Chemical Romance filled the room. I immediately broke into a smile. Since I heard it, it had always been one of my favourites. I sang along under my breath, going on with my journey through the shop.