Carol had left the house, walked out. She'd had enough for tonight. She'd had enough of Ed laying his hand on her, causing her soft, pale skin to blacken and blue, tearing into it with whatever word he wanted to scar her with next. Writing words on her, in her mind, abusing her. She'd gotten past the amount that she could just stand, and take for one night. When she'd left the house, she hadn't planned where she was going, or when she'd be back, she just let her feet carry her until she found herself in a quiet, but respectable bar a few blocks away. She just wanted to sit, be a normal twenty seven year old for once. She sat at a table by herself, gazing round at all the 'normal' people around her, the ones who all had someone who loved them, and only made them feel safe when they touched them, not pain. Every time one of them looked at her, she could feel the embarrassment burning inside her, as if they could see all the marks under her clothes, all the labels in her mind that he had given to her.
One man seemed to be staring directly at her, his eyes slightly narrowed, a puzzled expression on his face as if he was trying to read her, not necessarily judge her. She glanced at him a few times, her eyebrows raised worriedly. She couldn't deny that she felt uncomfortable in this place, but it was better than being at the place she called home. After a while, the man seemed to be getting closer, awkwardly, as if he was threatened by her. He finally came to sit down opposite her at the table, still looking at her with his puzzled expression. She hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Did- did you want something?" She asked quietly, not meaning to trip over her words.
"Just though' ya looked lonely, ya seem upset an'..." he mumbled before shrugging, looking past her slightly, as if he was scared to look her in the eye.
She tilted her head slightly as he spoke, studying him, trying to figure out what kind of man he was. She wasn't stupid and she knew when she was getting into trouble. But he seemed different, he seemed scared, shy, awkward. Almost childlike. She saw some of herself in him, somehow, she couldn't quite figure out why.
"Uhm... thanks, I-I guess." She said quietly again, rubbing her arm slightly, feeling awkward, and flinching slightly as her hand ran over a fresh bruise.
"You really don't have to sit with me though..." She explained, she didn't want him wasting his time on her.
"I know I don', but I am. I ain't seen ya 'round here before, ya look n-nice an' I wanted to make sure yer okay." He mumbled awkwardly again, as if he was confused between wanting to speak to her, being scared, and feeling pressured to do so, for some reason.
She gave him a small, sort of, sad smile, before introducing herself. "I'm Carol." She said simply, the man seemed nice enough, just terrified, she found it almost endearing and couldn't bring herself to reject him completely.
"'m Daryl" He said shortly, quietly, giving her a small half smile in return.