Lesson 83- Pets love to play, but remember to be gentle! They’re not toys!
Over the next few days, things change a lot. Everyone is finally well and back to work, but they don’t quite return to normal. To start with, unless Torin comes in early to get dinner with me, I let everyone into the bar for their shifts each night. Kyle in particular is appreciative of this because he likes to get the prep work for his cooking done before the place opens. Another change is that we’re all a LOT more security conscious. No more standing by the back door and chatting on the way in. The door opens, you come in and I close it. No waiting around. An illusion spell isn’t much good if you stand in the middle of what is supposed to look like a solid wall. But the biggest change of all, is that Torin actually serves drinks at the bar now. All week people have been coming in and daring their friends to order a drink from the ‘scary demon.’ At first it’s just younger guys, then some girls get involved. Then someone dares one of the vampires, and they dare someone else and no one is willing to be one upped by the others. One night Torin was serving drinks all night while Catcher and I stood around awkwardly not doing anything because everyone wanted drinks from him instead of us. Tonight things are a little more normal. I’m serving drinks and Torin is hanging out. A random guy approaches him and orders a drink with the biggest grin. He takes the shot back to his table.
“Hey guys, check it out. I ordered a drink from the demon!” He brags, downing the shot. His friend rolls his eyes and the woman with them scoffs.
“Who hasn’t done that? It’s no big deal. Just sit down and stop going on about it. Or better yet, march your way back to the demon and bring us all drinks.” She says, sounding bored. I can’t help but grin. It worked, my plan totally worked. Sure, it was kind of irritating that people were so scared to take a drink from Tori that they needed to make some kind of game out of it. But as I predicted, the game got old fast and now what was some crazy scary thing is just totally normal. I doubt that Torin will ever want to work as a bartender full time. He has enough to do with the administration stuff running this place. But on busy nights or when someone calls in sick, it will be nice for him to be able to step in and help out. But best of all it means, whether they know it or not, people are learning not to be so scared of him. Sure he’s big and intimidating and yeah he probably COULD hurt or kill them if he wanted to. But the ridiculous rumours and assumptions about him are so over the top that people don’t know what to believe. Still, the stupid game I started has paid off. Everyone knows that ordering a drink from Torin is actually no big deal. Now I just have to convince them that he’s a nice person too. That there is a difference between dangerous and evil.
I’m super pleased with the results of my little game and I can't wipe the satisfied grin off of my face. I turn to nudge Torin since I know that if I heard that, he must have too. I expect him to be looking at the table, but instead he’s looking at me and his expression is… Strange. Or at least strange for him. Mostly because he’s… smiling. Only a tiny little smile. But it’s strange because there are other people around who can actually see him and usually he scowls or keeps a poker face around everyone else.
“What is it?” I ask, tilting my head curiously. Torin just shrugs.
“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” He answers. He goes back to work, but the smile lingers and I catch him glancing my way more than once.
I think this is the most enjoyable shift I’ve ever worked here. The atmosphere is more relaxed than ever and it’s nice seeing Torin so happy. Plus I think this might be the first time he’s seemed really relaxed and comfortable since the break in. Once we close up for the night I find myself humming cheerfully while I clean up.
“You seem happy.” Torin comments and I smile.
“So do you.” I return and he shrugs.
“I suppose you’re right. It’s been a good night.” He adds and I nod.
“Yeah it has.” I agree. Torin pauses midway through lifting a chair so I can mop under it and turns to face me.
“You… You like it here… Right? You’re not miserable or anything?” He asks tentatively.
“I mean, there are obvious drawbacks like not being able to go outside or talk to my brother or go do my own shopping. But this place? The job? Those things I like. And of course I like being friends with you and everyone else.” I answer. Torin seems pleased with my answer.
“You like it here. That helps actually. I don’t feel quite as bad about keeping you here if you actually enjoy staying.” He says happily and I sigh, my smile falling from my face a little.
“Tori… I DO like it here. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to happily stay here forever.” I warn. He frowns and I feel bad for ruining his good mood, but I can’t just lie to him about it.
“But… You could. We could figure out something to tell your brother and you could just… Stay. Would that really be so bad?” Torin’s tone is almost pleading with me. He wants me to just say yes, to agree that life here wouldn’t be so bad. But I can’t do that.
“Tori I’m not some bird or pet rabbit you can keep in a cage to give you attention whenever you feel like it. I’m a person. You can’t just keep me here forever.” I tell him gently but firmly, leaving no room for doubt. He sighs deeply.
“I know that, and I don’t think you’re a pet. Is it so wrong that I just like having you around?” He looks nervous and without thinking I reach out to take his hand.
“Of course not Tori. But things won’t stay like this forever. If you keep me here, eventually I’ll start to resent you. We will lose this friendship and probably both end up making each other’s lives miserable. I know that isn’t what you want.” I tell him softly. He nods.
“You’re right. I do know that. We… We will figure this out eventually.” He says this with a sense of finality. He’s done talking about it right now. I sigh and go back to cleaning. I really don’t understand him. He says he can’t let me leave because I could tell someone about him and the others, but surely he trusts me enough by now to know I would never hurt him like that. I mean he trusts me to let people into his territory. He trusts me to take care of the bar. He trusts me with just about everything else. Why can’t he trust me in this one thing? I know that someone is still after me, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t speak to my brother, or that I couldn’t leave this place with Torin. No one would dare attack me with him around. I know he said that I could contact my brother if I could figure out something good to say, but I have nothing. I’m starting to think I might legitimately have to tell my brother that I can’t tell him and beg him to just trust me and not ask. I am definitely not looking forward to that conversation.
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