Sick Child - MarkoxOC

Part 15: Closer

Marko's bike comes to a screeching halt in front of the bar and Sofie practically leaps off of the seat, sprinting into the building with the boys at her heels. She violently hurls her purse somewhere in the staff room and shoves the employee entrance door open. The first thing that hits her is the smell of liquor. Sofie's eyes begin to water and she immediately recoils. Kara and Matt are wearing bandanas over their faces and mopping up an ocean of spilled alcohol and shattered glass. It glitters beneath the lights. Broken stools litter the dance floor, the DJ booth is absolutely trashed, and there are coasters and napkins everywhere. Everything she and Matt have built and worked for is either smashed or shattered. Rage bubbles in her chest and she begins to breathe heavily, clenching her teeth while her fists curl into tiny, bone-white balls. Sofie backs up into Marko, who grabs her waist gently to steady her.

"What the fuck?!" She says softly.

Matt looks up at her, mournful and angry - not at her, though. She doesn't need to be a vampire to be able to read him like a book. Matt has the shittiest poker face she's ever seen. He may as well wear a sandwich board displaying his most private thoughts and feelings. She stares at him and sighs, somewhat in frustration, but mostly with relief. He's angry at the situation, at whoever did this. She walks toward him and wraps him in a tight hug.

"Matty, I'm sorry."

Matt cups her face in his hands and smiles sadly.

"What for? Someone smashed the deadbolt."

"I meant about closing the bar last night. I should have called -"

"You were being a good boss."

"I'm not a boss."

"You are now," Matt says with a sly grin.

"What are you talking about?"

"I called Brian tonight and convinced him to sell us his half of the bar. He didn't want to deal with this and he's been thinking about selling it to one of his poker buddies. I figure I saved us from a terrible fate."

Sofie's jaw drops.

"You did what?!"

"I thought about what you said, and I talked to Rose... and her parents loaned me some money." He grins. "We're gonna be great, Sof."

Sofie's eyes well up with tears and she glances over her shoulder at Marko, who tosses her a wink and a wide grin. Paul is smiling while Laddie clings to his leg. David's eyes are piercing and focused, scanning every inch of the bar while Dwayne is locked onto Kara. Sofie promptly throws her arms around Matt's neck, sobbing quietly into his shoulder. She loves this place, even if it looks like a hurricane and an earthquake hit it at the same time. It was her first job, and really the only thing she's ever been good at. Some people are brilliant creators, some have a gift for selling anything to anyone. Sofie has always been average, except when it comes to bartending. She can talk to anyone, learning how to make drinks is a breeze, and she loves the complete unpredictability of never knowing who's going to approach her bar. She gets to work with her best friend almost every night, she gets to talk to people, party, and listen to great music (when Ben isn't in the DJ booth)... and it's where she met the cutest boy with the most exquisite mullet who has become almost her whole world. Almost. Sofie pulls away from Matt and giggles. It's soft and musical.

"We own a bar?!"

"We own a bar!" Matt shouts triumphantly.

Sofie squeals and wraps him in another tight hug. Matt chuckles, somewhat nervously. Sofie can tell that he's a little uncomfortable with the amount of affection she's showing in front of Marko. Sofie pulls back and steps away from him, nervously tucking her hair behind her ears. She glances at Marko who is chewing on his thumbnail and grinning.