Holding Hands With The Devil

Chapter seven.

Tamara and Demon 1890-1891 by Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel

"There are times when you simply have to righteous hang on and outlast the devil."   ―        Ezra Taft Benson

"Woow this looks amazing" Ave beamed. "And your bed is huge! Imagine what sleepovers we can do now!" She sounded like she was genuinely happy for me. "Sorry but I reserved one half of the bed for myself already." Blake came back with a bottle and two glasses in his one, properly functioning hand. "Uhu sure. Bella can we talk for a quick second?" She went out the door and I followed her. "That was just a joke he didn't mean that. He just talks a lot of shit sometimes." I tried to explain. "Yeah well what happend to the Bella that didn't care about a new guy moving in? You said that he gets on your last nerve. And still, he's the only one you're spending time with lately. You don't even care about me anymore." What? That was absolute bullshit. "What are you talking about? You know that's not true. We just talked a bit and we're actually not that different. You'd like him if you'd give him a chance. I thought you would be happy for me." "Well I am! But you don't seem to notice what a complete jerk he really is! And you have only known him for what, like three days? He's so unbelievably rude to all the other boys and he doesn't care about anything! Listen, it's your business in the end and I'm not going to tell you what to do. Please just promise me that you'll be careful. I know you and you tend to fall for the bad guys pretty quickly. And I do believe, with my whole heart, that he is a bad guy until I'm proven wrong. He's the type of man who just wants you in his bed and then leaves. Just think about what I said. I'm going to go now and leave you two alone in your new room with the big bed." I didn't know what to respond to that so I just let her go. Until now I never thought of him that way. I went back into the room without saying a word.

"What's up? What did she want?" he asked while already filling our glasses. "Oh nothing. Just girl-stuff you know." I tried to push my thoughts away really fast. We didn't know each other for too long and he never gave any hints of being a fuckboy. "Well then lets raise our glasses to your new room and to a new friendship" He handed me mine and our glasses clinked in contentment. I slowly downed the liquid and I had to say, the bourbon was really good. After a few more sips and a lot of talking I was very tired. "Well I'd say it was a pretty successful party and it'd be a pleasure to do it again soon but I feel like it's time to go now for me. Sweet dreams Bella." He must've noticed that my eyelids were growing heavy so he, being the gentleman he was, left me alone. "You too." Blake left my room with a smile on his face and I changed into my pj's. It didn't take me long to fall asleep but I was also very, very tired.

Sleeping in my new room, in a big bed felt amazing. Probably the best I've slept in a long time. The next few days went by without something speakable of happening. I spent most of the time in my room with Ave watching movies because I did feel bad for not giving her as much attention these past few days so I wanted to make it up to her. That was aslo exactly what I told Blake and he understood. I saw him a few times in the kitchen but that was it. It was now already thursday and I still slept like a baby every night. On friday morning I woke up especially rested. And because I felt so good I thought it was time to call Wendy to ask her if I could come to work today. I had enough time off and my bruises were nearly gone. Only I could make out where they were. So I dialed her number and after a few rings she took the call. "Hey Bella, how are you doing? Sorry for not checking up on you I've just been really bussy." "Hi Wendy, no problem. I feel much better. That's why I wanted to ask you if you'd need any help? My time off treated me very well and I'm as rested as ever." She sounded very stressed. Wendy was at the bar the whole day and her nerves were already wearing thin. "Yes! Oh my god yes. I can't even express how happy I am to hear that. I'm really falling apart over here and I don't know what to do. So I would happily appreciate your help. You can come whenever you want. I'll open up at 6 tonight because we're closed tomorrow on saturday. I'm so sorry but I gotta run now I've ran out of so many things that I need to buy!" And just like that, she ended the call. And for me it was time to get some routine back into my life.