In My Dark Times - The Deal With The Demon

Chapter Nine

I nodded and followed him downstairs.

We sat with his family, his stepfather away on business. His sisters were so nice, and they all seemed really close. It made me miss my mum and sister tremendously.

I used to have this... before I chose to push them away. It wasn't on purpose either. I just sorta got lost in the crazy lifestyle I lived and I didn't want them even knowing.

After dinner, I handed over the rental keys to Lou and he took us up to the downtown streets of Doncaster. We parked and chose to walk down the streets. It was beautiful at night.

"What's up, Haz?" He asked as we walked side by side.

"I don't know," I replied looking away.

"What's bothering you?" He asked in a whisper, "you went from being happy to not saying hardly anything. What's going on?"

"Nothing is really bothering me," I said as I stared at the ground while we walked, "just thinking..."

"Ok," he nodded, "is it me, my mum..."

"No," I said immediately, "hell, no. Lou, your family is really lovely. Almost reminds me of my mine. We used to be that close."

"Yeah, I figured that," he replied quietly.

"Yeah," I sighed while we stopped at a crosswalk, "I kinda pushed them away. Not even sure why... basically because I sort of lost myself in my life."

"What's so bad about your life? Other than him?" He asked, "I mean, I know that's been a huge struggle..."

I looked back at him, "I'm not sure I wanna tell you. I mean, you're brilliant, Louis. Really brilliant."

"So?"

"So, I don't want what I tell you to ruin what you think of me," I confessed as I lit a cigarette.

"Tell me," he looked me dead in the eye and said it, "let me decide what I think about you."

I nodded, "uh, ok."

He crossed his arms and waited.

"I'm... I'm still sort of," I started getting really nervous, "employed. I'm paid to go and... you know..."

"Ok," he said, "is that it?"

"Basically," I whispered and stared up the street.

"And you thought that would make me think less of you?" He asked.

"I... I wasn't sure," I said, "should've just told you, but I... it's never bothered me to tell someone what I did for a living, but you're different."

"How many times have you said that now?" He laughed.

"Too many," I admitted, "I suck at this."

"Well, you apparently don't suck at something else... or you do suck," he smirked.

"Smart ass," I chuckled and we took off across the crosswalk, staying silent for several minutes.

"So, do you do this job for the money, or?" He asked.

"Uh, it's... I don't know honestly," I said lowly, "I've always enjoyed it. In the beginning, it was to pay for things. I wanted to start buying my own things. Then, it became about trying to push Darren out of my life. See how well that worked out?"

"Have you been doing it since before him?" He questioned.

"No, I haven't," I replied, "he had already moved here when I started. I had already allowed him to buy me everything I have. Sorry I didn't tell you, Lou."