After a while, Sion nudged me on the shoulder and told me it was my turn. I didn't even want to think about getting up.

Sion put his hand on Leah's shoulder, and she smiled up at him. Last night they talked and laughed as I was working my 3rd shift. It kind of made me. mad.

She turned around and began speaking with him as I got up, thinking unnoticed. Leah warmed up quickly to Sion and Dominique. The moment they figured out a new person was in the bar, they went to speak to the Leah. She made friends so easily, and became one of us almost immediately. After snapping back to reality, I looked at her, and saw her smiling at me, which made me feel a little better, but once I started thinking about these. things.. I began to wonder. What was going on? I'm Volt Krueger. I don't think about this.

It was cold outside, and for once in my career, I didn't feel like scaring anyone off, I didn't care about looking tough, and I didn't want to be out there. alone.

For the first time, I felt so. alienated. I wanted someone, anyone, to be there with me.

There seemed to be more people together this night more than any other. Boyfriends and their girlfriends passed, brothers and sisters, and for once, I actually thought about the relationships, not them as individuals.

I didn't understand why I was alone.

Or why I just now started caring.

I never saw a point.

The door opened, but I didn't move to look who it was. I had too many things to think about.

"Volt? Are you okay?"

"Leah?" I said, looking at her in surprise. "Get inside, it's too cold for you to be out here."

She said she'd be fine, that she wasn't going back inside. She said she had come out here to be with me.

Strange, I thought. No one's ever done that before..