The Dating Game [Barry Berkman]

Starting Now

After Sally left Barry he felt like he was in this dark hole again. He stopped working as an assassin - sure - but he also lost the only real friend he had, the acting class. Cousineau almost found out about him murdering Janet and he had a hard time trying to convince him that Fuches was the liar. Nonetheless, Cousineau threw him and everyone else out of the class and shut it down. Sally was so mad at Barry, telling him it's his fault over and over again until he lost control over himself. He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her, shouting at her that she was a selfish bitch. She immediately left him and he couldn't even be angry at her for doing so. She came out of an abusive relationship and she didn't deserve to be treated like that ever again. So he just let her go. Sally wasn't the bad person here, he was. Now he finally had the chance to change that.

He tried starting over, he still had to pay his bills and worked at Lululemon full time now. He was still work mates with Sasha and after everything went down they kind of grew close friends. Both didn't really know how that happened but they started hanging out after work some days to grab a beer. Sasha was still friends with Natalie so she was there almost every time, too. Barry wouldn't consider her a close friend like Sasha... she was really weird, but then again she always was. So his closest friends we're three people in total and for Barry, that was enough to try to become happy again.

The third person he talked to regularly was Hank.  Neither of them would've expected that, but since he wasn't the head of the mafia anymore, he himself wanted to leave his old life behind and started working as a bartender. He worked in one of the high class bars that Barry couldn't even afford, but neither could Hank, bartending doesn't pay that much. They rather hung out at Barry's place or went to the same bar he and the girls went all the time.

Today he was working though, so Barry, Sasha an Natalie went to the bar without him. Gabbing their occasional after-work beer while listening to some live band.

"You have to finally meet someone, Bazz. I know Sally was your big love but-", Sasha started once they ordered a beer.

"I don't think she was, really. I think I was just in love with the idea of being in love."

"Then why don't you have some fun, huh? You're a tall, handsome guy! There are a lot of beautiful women out there.", she said while pointing with her hand across the bar.

"Yeah, Barry.", Natalie agreed softly.

"I'm not sure. I also wouldn't know how. I'm not good in social interactions as you all know.", Barry said while sipping on his beer.

"You're right, you're very awkward sometimes. Try Tinder then?", Sasha said.

"Tinder? What's that?", Barry looked at her confused.

Sasha just shook her head, "God, Bazz. You're really something else, huh? Who doesn't know what Tinder is. It's an app where you can find people for whatever you're looking for. Here give me your phone."

Barry grabbed his iPhone out of his pocket and gave it to her. He looked over her shoulder while she started downloading and opening an app, which had a pink flame as an icon.

"So, I know you're a good guy but you know nothing about women so I'll help you with this."

"What's that's supposed to-", he asked confused.

"Just trust me on this one."

He sighed and let her type in his informations.

"Wait how old are you exactly?"

"41"

Sasha looked at him confused and raised her eyebrows.

"Not bad Bazz, looking young! I'll write 37."

"Isn't that lying?"

"Everyone lies on the internet, Bazz. You look 37 so it's totally fine."

"If you say so.", he believes her and ordered a new round for the three of them.

"How tall are you?"

"6'2" I think."

"That's great. Women love tall men. Now what's your type. Do you like younger or older women? I won't judge you, it's just the age span you can choose."

"Uh, I don't know maybe 30-35?", he scratches the back of his head, thinking about if he even had a type.

"That's too picky, I'll make it 20-35.", Sasha said while dragging those little button-things further apart.

"No, no, no! I don't wanna date a teenager! I'm not a pervert.", Barry tried to grab his phone out of her hand.

"Ok, ok, chill Bazz. I'll make it 25 then.", she held the phone away from him and changed the preferred age.

"Now we need some good pictures of you. You have some where you're smiling? Also let's take one here at the bar."

"I- ugh ok do whatever you want."