FAT FICTION | Chapter 10 - Sleepyhead (Patreon)

The Clip-clop sound of heels… then the cash register. 

“One coffee. One Slice of Cherry Pie!” bellowed his waitress towards the kitchen.

Paul opened his eyes.

Day dreaming again?

“What the hell is wrong with me?” he muttered a little too loudly.  

He heard her sigh again. The woman from the next booth over. 

His elfin queen. 

He shook his head furiously. That’s not a place or an image he was in any rush to go back to. 

“Excuse me?” 

He recognised her voice. 

He was scared to look up. Scared to look at that big… beau… no, wait, big, umm… larger body. 

“Hey!” 

The way she said it startled him and his eyes met hers. 

There was no elfin woman. Just the slim, 30-something he’d seen a moment ago before he’d closed his eyes. Lara paused the tapping of her notepad. Clearly concerned by the groan he’d emitted and the shaking of his head. 

“You ok buddy?” she asked. 

“Yeah… fine, thanks… just… in need of some real coffee.” 

She smiled, but she still looked at him uncomfortably. 

He decided, it would be better to look elsewhere  

What was happening? 

He heard the college girls at the counter laughing still. He looked up at them to find they were now staring back at him. 

He’d clearly been louder than he’d wished to be.

“Sorry!” he said, “Long drive!” he lied. 

One girl leaned in towards the other and whispered something that was clearly about him. The other swatted her hand against her friend’s arm with mock offense and they went back to giggling. 

Paul felt his face turning red. Too many eyes were on him. He buried his head in between his arms on the table and once again, tried to focus on his breathing.

As he did so, the book in his car began to glow once more.