A Deal With Dark

Nine

Chapter Nine

I checked my phone for texts as I was doing my usual editing. Nothing. It had been a whole week since I had sent Mark an apology for my behavior at the coffee shop and the park, and at this point, it seemed like he wasn't ever going to answer me. I guessed that was understandable - I had been a complete dick to him right after Dark had been a complete dick to him. I wouldn't have wanted to talk to me either if I was Mark. But it still hurt that he wasn't answering. Even a simple "okay" would have felt better than nothing.

While Mark had been avoiding me, I had been avoiding Dark. I didn't really want to be around him if I didn't have to. He showed up a few times and I just I told him I was busy, I wasn't feeling well, I didn't want to go out. He had to know that they were only excuses and lies, but he didn't push me. Things were almost starting to feel the way they had before I ever met him - Mark and I weren't really speaking, I wasn't going out with a demon, and my focus was on my work and hanging out with Allison. The difference was that I couldn't completely forget about everything that had happened, and I wasn't exactly feeling like myself. But Allison finally managed to drag me out of the house to go shopping, and it was a relief when I began feeling normal and maybe even a little happy again.

We went to our favorite mall and since I hadn't spent money on myself in a while, I declared it a "Treat Yo Self" day and went all out. I bought new make up at Sephora, a few random sale items at Forever 21 and H&M, and I even got myself a few sexy things from Victoria's Secret. Allison joked about "Derek" and how he would enjoy my VS purchases, but I didn't care if "Derek" ever saw them. I liked them and felt good in them, and that was all that mattered.

Allison and I drove around LA, blasting our favorite songs and obnoxiously singing along to them. We stopped for cupcakes, I brought my camera and we did small photoshoots at our favorite spots, and we just had fun. She even convinced me to say yes to going to the bars on Friday night, which had been out of the question while I was in my slump. I experimented with my new makeup, put on new clothes, and I felt really confident once we left the apartment. We were both smiling and laughing when we arrived at our favorite bar, Brother's. It wasn't the coolest bar in LA, but the prices weren't too steep, it was the first place we legally had alcohol for our 21st birthdays, and we were comfortable there.

"Ally, Maddy, hi!" Craig, a brown-haired bartender greeted us as we walked up to the bar. We had gone to college with him, and we actually used to go out to the bars with him. Now he was making and serving drinks instead of enjoying them with us. But there was a perk to this - we occasionally got deals, and he knew exactly what we liked.

"Hey Craig, how's it going?" Allison asked, taking a seat on a barstool. I joined her, noticing a couple of guys next to us who were eyeing us.

"Can't complain. How about yourself? Still editing for the Grumps?" Craig wondered, already beginning to make our drinks even though we hadn't ordered yet.

"Yeah! It's kind of crazy but definitely fun."

"And how about you, Maddy? Photography business is booming?"

"I wouldn't say booming, but I'm definitely staying busy. I love it, though. And I always have time for friends, so if you ever want a shoot done or if Brother's needs updated pictures on their website, I'm your girl!" I told him.

"I just might take you up on that offer sometime soon, I'll talk to my boss about it when I get the chance. There would be a discount, of course?"

"Depends on how my service is here," I joked.

"Ouch, the pressure's really on now. Would a free extra shot in your drink get me anything?" Craig negotiated.

"I better stick to just one shot in my drinks, but good try," I laughed. He finished up the beverages he had been making and set two glasses in front of us.