Learning to Forgive (ON PAUSE)

Chapter Three

Cole felt stiff as he flutters open his eyes. He blinks the tiredness away as he pushes his head up to look around his room.

Pure white walls with one bed in the corner, to which was hard and not at all warm. The door was a steal wall with a small open for letters or food to be passed through. There was one window that was at the way top in the middle of the main wall. There was no glass, only four solid bars that block the morning sun.

Cole swings his legs over the bed before groggily getting up. He stands to his full hight and pulls his arms over his head, hearing satisfying pops. He lowers his arms and starts to stretch out the rest of his body.

"You're awake I see." Edwin calls from the now open door.

"Sadly." Cole says sarcastically. Edwin reveals a rare small smile and walks over to Cole. His hands behind his back.

Cole arches his brows and pops his fingers before speaking. "What's in the box?" His voice echos slightly off the bare walls.

"Something from me to you." Edwin states firmly before handing a box over to him. Cole looks down at it with a scrunched expression.

It is a plain brown box, around the size of his fist. There was a small name tag that was blank on the side. Cole frowned slightly.

"It's plain?" He questions causing Edwin to frown again.

"It matters if it's colorful?"

Cole stutters slightly and blushes. "Ah, no."

Edwin speaks dully, "Then open it."  Cole shrugs at that and carefully pops open the lid that covers the present.

...It is empty.

"It- uh-" Cole at that point is at a loss for words. "It's empty?" He looks up at Edwin confused. Edwin only shrugs and turns to leave before turning his head back slightly to talk.

"Oh, well I guess you'll have to figure out what to put in it." He states before leaving and closing the door behind him.

Cole just stands there still in shock before looking back down at the box. Why did he give me an empty box? Cole thinks silently. What's the purpose? Cole groans in annoyance before glaring at the door. Is this some kind of lesson?

"Oh come on Edwin!" Cole hollers. "I thought we were done with these weird lessons!" Cole turns his back to the door and moves over to the bed. He places the box on the pillow gently, afraid to break it.

He huffs and waltzes over to the door to knock. Once the door clicks open Cole exits and goes down to the Game Center.

The room has creamy yellow walls that are covered in lime green dots. There are shelves that are planted against the back wall; there Cole could see a combination of bored games. On the opposite side of the room a TV hung on the wall. There appeared to be a Wii and an Xbox with a small amount of games.

I don't remember seeing those there. Cole though silently as he scanned the rest of the room; which only have a few small tables and chairs along with three different colored beanbags. Then again, I didn't really pay much attention to anything that was not a source of escape.

Cole's eyes harden slightly and shakes his head. No, he's not that Cole anymore. He's different, better.

Cole sighs and goes over to an abandoned chess game. He picks up the pieces and places them where they belong.

Two hours pass and Cole still was starring at the game, expressionless.

"Do you need a partner?" Cole jumps up at the voice and turns to see Peter leaning against the door frame.

"I wasn't really playing-" Cole was cut off.

"Well, now you are." Peter walks over and sits at the other end of the table. "Ready?"

"I-uh..." Cole takes a deep breath. "I've never played." Peter looks at Cole like he was born from trash and sewer water.

"Who the hell raised you?!"

"Uh."

"Just, pay attention to me."

And that's how the rest of the day went. Peter teaching Cole to play Chess, and beating him easily.

"Check mate!" Peter sings out and Cole groans as he slams his head against the table.

"No fair! You cheated!" The cold surface felt nice against Coles heated head. "I don't know how, but you did!"

Peter chuckles and gets up. "Rematch next time, 'kay?" He gathers his things and tosses Cole a smile. "Gotta go!" He scampers off leaving Cole to pick up the game.

"Yea," Cole mutters. "next time." He sighs and puts the box away before stretching and walking to the diner hall. There was food placed on the counter.
Cole grabs a plate and finds an empty seat at the back of the room, away from others.

Cole pokes at the goopy mush while sticking out his tongue and stares at the plate.  "What the hell is this?" He pushes the plate away and puts his head on the arms.

"It's called, goulash. It's pretty good!" A voice pipes up and the chair across form him is filled with another male. "If you don't want it I'll take it!" Cole rolls his eyes and pushes the plate to the guy.

"What's your name?" Cole asks and looks up to him.

"I'm Oscar!" He replies a bit to happily. "But my friends call me Cutter!"

"Cutter?" Cole questions.

"I cut three different people throats with a butter knife!" Oscar claims proudly, puffing out his chest.

If Cole had met him two years later Cole would have been proud of what he had did to Peter. Now Cole just stares at him.

"Cool, I guess." Cole looks unamused as he looks at the room.

"You guess?" Oscar sounds puzzled as he stops heaving food into his mouth, which Cole was thankful for. "What did you do?" His voice seems challenging.

"If I tell you, will you leave me alone?" Cole looks back towards Oscar.

"Sure! But I doubt you can top me!"

Cole groans internally. God have mercy on me now.
"Let's see; I have broken into many place and successfully get out without cops getting me. I've beat up and sent several people to the hospital and-" Cole stops and looks down.

"And?"

Coles lets out a defeated sigh.

"And I damage someone beyond repair." Coles voice quivering as he continues. "Thanks to me he can't walk properly. He has a speech impediment, and he will never forgive me."

Oscar seems deadly quite.