Keeping Promises #2
I turned to see Nate and Sean watching me.
“I don’t know. She’s pretty.” I sighed and stared after her.
“I was trying to say ‘bye’ but also ‘see you’ and then ‘bye you’ came out.” I took her receipt and bit my lip.
At this point, I was almost certain she was hitting on me.
I saved her number before sliding the tip into my pocket and receipt in its home.
“I thought you were into guys?” Nate demanded more than asked. Like it was any of his business.
“Have you never heard of a bi person?” I demanded right back. “Are customers gonna come in soon? Now that she’s gone, I’m bored again.”
“It’s almost happy hour. It should get busy soon.”
Sure enough, a half hour later the bar was full of people drinking, playing pool, shooting darts, and watching games. It kept me entertained for the next couple of hours until I realized it was my lunch time. I announced my departure and headed out back.
“I’ll come too.” Sean followed me outside, where a bunch of crates were scattered around. I sat on one of them and he sat across from me. “So, what was that earlier?” he asked.
“Huh?” I had no idea what he was talking about.
“The whole you’re not worth it thing. What was up with that?”
I shrugged. “I dunno. I’m being honest.”
“Nate’s right, you know. You’re oblivious if you think no one’s ever been into you.”
“Don’t tell me you like me.” I was being as sarcastic as possible. He laughed and shook his head. “Because you like Ari. Don’t think I haven’t figured that out yet.” I beamed when he didn’t deny it. “I knew it! I fuckin’ knew it.”
“Can we go back to talking about you now? I’m not done.”
“Okay, fine. So who likes me then, if you’re so sure?”
“Nate.”
“No. He’s confused.”
“Benji?”
“He doesn’t even know me.”
“You really can’t accept that someone might have feelings for you? Even when they literally say it out loud?” Sean frowned when I shook my head. “Wow. Your parents really did a number on you.”
“Thanks,” I muttered. My eyes were stinging but I refused to cry about this.
“Sorry, that came out wrong. I’m not trying to insult you.
It’s just… I’ve heard you say things like this before.
From what I gather, your parents caused a lot of emotional damage.
Maybe some physical. And now you’re convinced that no one will ever care about you.
Am I right?” He waited, but I didn’t respond.
“You know Ari loves you. She’s always there and she wants you to be happy. ”
“Yeah, I know.”
“And your uncle.”
“I know,” I repeated.
“And Dennis?” Sean asked.
“What about Dennis?”
“I give up. You’re gonna have to talk to him.” He got out his phone and started texting.
“Who’re you texting?”
“Dennis.” He smiled at my panicked reaction.
“Sean!”
“Don’t worry, it’s not about you. We talk about other shit, you know.” He laughed. “Our conversation won’t leave this alley, I promise.”
“You better not be lying.”
“I’m not. Relax.” He seemed to notice the time and stood. “I’m off for the day, so I’m heading out.”
“Why’re you back here if you’re already off?”
“Am I not allowed to check on you?” He chuckled at my confusion. “I’ll see you later, Emy.”
“Bye.” I looked at the empty crates once he’d left. I was bored again. I headed back inside, planning to mindlessly scroll my phone for the rest of lunch, until I saw Michael on the couch and got a genius idea. “Hey, Michael?”
“What’s up?” He looked up from an inventory form.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure. Is everything okay?” He motioned for me to sit.
“Everything’s fine,” I sat down, leaving an empty cushion between us. “My question’s super random but I just realized you’re the perfect person to ask. How do binds block each other from hearing thoughts?”
“Dennis hasn’t told you?”
“No,” I said haughtily. “I ask him all the time and he refuses to explain. Sean and Mateo probably won’t explain, either, since he apparently doesn’t want me to know. But since they’re not around and you’re here…” I gave him my sweetest smile, hoping he would oblige.
He laughed and set the forms aside. “Dennis might kill me, but sure. What do you wanna know?”
“Everything. The mind reading, the blocking, all that shit. I have no clue what’s going on. He hasn’t told me anything at all.”
“Interesting.” He adjusted his hat and leaned back.
“I guess I’ll start from the beginning, then.
In short, it has to do with how strong your feelings are for your bind.
It’s said that binds are kinda like soulmates, but only when you find the right one.
Supposedly, you’ll know who your true bind is the second you see them. Well, the vampire will. Not the human.”
“So it’s like a one-sided love at first sight?”
“Kind of? It’s a lot stronger than that. A real blood bind should be like a part of you.”
“That’s so,” I struggled to find a word, “intense.”
“Yeah,” he said, grinning, “it is. That’s partly why not every vamp wants a bind.”
“What’re the other reasons?”
“There are a few. Some think the ‘true bind’ thing is a myth and binds are a waste of time. Some who do believe in it get worried they’ll settle for the wrong bind and destroy their love life.
And most vamps won’t bind on a friendship level.
From what I’ve heard, it’s too intimate for a platonic buddy.
Might get awkward.” He laughed when I emphatically nodded.
“What do you think about all this?” I asked.
“I’m not bound, so I can’t really say. My bind was the kind that doesn’t care to keep one, so he did it as a favor to turn me and undid it right after.
But judging from what I’ve seen, I’d say it’s true.
As far as blocking thoughts, the stronger your feelings are for your bind, the harder it is for them to hear you. Eventually they won’t hear you at all.”
“Really? Why?”
He shrugged. “No one knows. Maybe because once you know them well and have feelings you don’t need that extra thing to build the connection? That’s what I’ve always thought.”
I thought for a second, trying to organize everything in my head. “How come I could never hear Dennis, then?”
“When you’re bound and still human, you’re not gonna hear anything. It only works for the vampire until they decide to turn you. Then it goes both ways.”
“No, I get that,” I said. “I mean even after I changed, I could never hear Dennis. I feel a couple things here and there, like when he’s super pissed off at something or worried about me I can feel it, but besides that I can never hear or feel anything from him.
My whole time as a vampire I haven’t heard a peep from his actual thoughts.
Actually,” I cocked my head at a faint memory of him wondering if I’m crazy all the time, “there was one day when I heard a sentence. But that’s it for actual thoughts. ”
“Huh.” Michael gave me a curious look, like he knew something I didn’t, but didn’t bother to explain. “Well, if anything makes me believe the myth, it’s seeing binds like you two. There aren’t many like that.”
“I thought all binds are like this?” I was getting so many answers, but they weren’t making me any less confused. There was so much shit Dennis had never told me.
“No, it’s pretty rare. Why do you think everyone pays so much attention to you?”
“Because I’m incredibly sexy and extremely badass?” I guessed. He laughed.
“That too,” he agreed, smiling cheekily, “but also because you’re an actual bind. A real one. He chose right and we can all tell.”
“I’m still confused, but at least I get the gist of it now,” I said happily. Now I just needed to figure out why I could never hear Dennis’ thoughts if it was supposed to go both ways. “Thanks for explaining.”
“No problem. Any other questions?”
“Nope! Thanks again.”
“Anytime.” He went back to inventory forms while I pulled out my phone to scroll until the end of lunch.
When I went back out, it was mostly dead. Unfortunately, Johnny had replaced Sean. I fell into the usual groove of helping customers until his rude voice cut in.
“You,” Johnny was saying from the other end of the bar. I leaned around Nate to see him pointing to me. “C’mere.”
“Me?” I raised an eyebrow. “Did you forget my name?”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.” I waited for him to call me in a polite way. Instead he rudely gestured for me again like I was a dog. “Kay. I guess you don’t want whatever it was that bad, ‘cause I’m not doing shit if you keep calling me ‘you’. Stare like a fucking cardboard cutout, see if I care.”
“Are you always this difficult?”
“Oh my gosh, I got you a present.” I reached into my bra and pulled out my middle finger. “I hope you like it. You really deserve it.” Nate stifled a laugh while Johnny sighed.
“Fine. Emery. Come here. Please.”
“What’s up?” I walked over since he was done being an ass.
“Not me, her. She asked for you.” He gestured over a shoulder and walked away.
“What do you want?” I groaned at the sight of Melissa’s smug face.
“To be friends. I think we could get along if we tried. We got off on the wrong foot.”
“I meant what drink do you want. I don’t give a shit what you want in life.”
“So rude. I love it,” she gushed. “Make me a tokyo tea.”
I took my time fixing her drink, half hoping she would leave before I finished. “Here.” I set it down and took her card. “Open or close?”
“You don’t wanna talk to me?” she asked. I didn’t respond. “Fine. Close it.”
We finished the transaction, then she grabbed her things and left.
“Hey, Emy. I have your schedule for the rest of the week.” Michael came up beside me, apparently done with forms. “Richard keeps forgetting to set you up in the portal, so it’s paper for now.” He gave me the week’s schedule, which I scanned before pouting. “What’s the matter?”
“I have to work tomorrow and Thanksgiving.”
“Yeah?”
“My aunt is coming to visit and I’ll be working the whole time. Can’t I have the next two days off?”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he asked. “You just had two days off. I could’ve switched it around.”