After the Mark

"Have you ever felt disconnected from everyone and everything-like, the whole of reality?" I said, standing behind the counter and staring at the endless row of meat pies in the display case for absolutely no reason. "You just know there's more out there. You feel stuck right where you are, and the life you want feels so close you could almost smell it... and yet, somehow, it's miles away."

I was pouring my heart out to Mark-my friend and colleague.

"Yeah, you're right," he replied absentmindedly.

I looked at him. Of course. He was busy texting a girl while on the job.

I sighed and muttered, "Why do I even bother?"

"What?" he asked without looking up.

"Oh, so that you heard," I replied.

"What are you talking about, bro?"

"Never mind. Let me see her," I said, leaning closer.

"She's pretty, isn't she?" Mark said, grinning.

"She's... alright, I guess," I said, quickly looking away so I wouldn't sound too eager-though she really was pretty.

"Isn't she way out of your league, though?" he continued. "I mean, she's really pretty, and you work at a mall handing snacks to customers while wearing a stupid hat."

"Oh boy," he chuckled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Relax. These are dumb rich girls. They don't really care about income. All they want is love and attention. That's it. And seriously-stop being so negative all the time."

"Whatever you say," I said, giving up.

"And we're meeting up tonight," he added. "She's bringing a friend-probably just as hot. Would you mind coming along so she doesn't feel like a third wheel?"

I could see the hope in his eyes, but I couldn't help myself. "Well, I feel like I don't need to keep reminding you that I've got a-"

"Good afternoon," a young girl, probably in her late teens, interrupted our conversation.

Mark quickly hid his phone, and we both smiled at the same time.

"Welcome. What would you like?" we said in unison.

"Umm... what are my options?" she asked.

"Well," I said, glancing at the display of snacks, "there's meat pie, fish rolls, egg rolls... um, shawarma."

As I kept listing items, I felt Mark tapping my leg and whispering, "Yo."

I paused-and that's when I realized the girl had been staring at me the entire time, smiling.

"Well, you have many options," I finished, returning the smile.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Daniel," I replied.

"Well, Daniel," she said, leaning in slightly, "has anyone ever told you that you have a cute smile and sexy eyes?"

"Oh boy, here we go again," I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" she asked.

I smiled again and said, "Well, if I said that in my twenty-three years of being alive no one has ever told me I have a cute smile, that would be a lie."

I made sure to emphasize the twenty-three.

"Hmmm," she said. "I see what you're trying to do-but you should know that only makes me want you even more."

She held intense eye contact. I had to look away before replying.

"Well, I have a girlfriend anyway, so..."

"And the plot thickens," she laughed. "You're killing me here, Daniel. I know I'm making you uncomfortable, but I'll be back. Bye."

She walked off.

"But you didn't even get your snacks!" Mark called after her.

She didn't look back. She joined her friends, and they all glanced over at me, giggling, before disappearing down another aisle.

I sighed-again.

Then Mark turned to me. "Bro, you were so in there. What the hell is wrong with you, man?"

"Well, I don't want to go to jail, for one," I said. "And I have a girlfriend anyway."

"Bro, your girlfriend is gone," he said. "She's been gone for a year. You barely even talk. I'm sure she's getting piped by some rich CEO somewhere. You've got to move on. Come out with me tonight."

"I don't know," I said. "I'll think about it."

"Sure," he replied. "Whatever you say."

That's when I noticed Frank-our manager, the same age as both of us-walking toward us.

"Hey," I said quietly to Mark, nodding in his direction. "Here comes Rich the Kid."

"Hey, my mans," Frank said, patting my arm. "How's it going?"

It's going, Frank. It's going," I said, forcing a smile.

"Awesome," he replied. "Anyway, I saw you flirting with that fine ass just now, so what's up? Did you get her number?" He looked genuinely curious.

"Let the record state that I was not flirting with anyone, and I did not get anyone's phone number, okay?" I said, raising my voice slightly.

"Aww, but why?" Frank said. "You were so in there."

"See? I told you," Mark said. "Even Rich the Kid agrees with me."

"Yeah-wait, what did you just call me?" Frank asked, squinting.

"Frank. I said Frank, obviously," Mark replied quickly. "Yo, I told him the exact same thing."

"I'm pretty sure she's barely seventeen," I said, looking Frank dead in the eye. "And aren't you our manager? You of all people should know fraternizing with customers isn't allowed. Asking them out is a fireable offense."

Frank shrugged. "I mean, we're only young once, right? Might as well live life to the fullest."

Then he leaned in and whispered, "I won't tell if you won't."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How the hell are you our manager?"

"Well," he said casually, "I did a lot of drugs in school, dropped out, and my dad was like, 'No son of mine is gonna be a bum.' So he got me this job-which sucks, by the way-but at least I get to hang with my bros." He tapped my arm again.

"Wait," Mark said. "So you have no degree whatsoever, and you're a manager? Is that even legal?"

Frank froze. It was clear he wasn't supposed to have shared any of that. His eyes darted around as panic slowly crept in.

"Well-uh-it's all bullshit anyway," he said quickly. "I've gotta get back to the office. You know, manager shit."

He started backing away. "Good talk, guys. Take it easy out here."

And just like that, he was gone.

"Is it wrong to want to kill him?" I said, watching him walk away.

"Me and you both, man," Mark replied.

The rest of the day went exactly how it always did: serving customers, having senseless conversations, checking how much time I had left on my shift, and checking-again-whether Sarah had sent me any messages. She hadn't. Zero, as usual.

I shifted my weight, standing on one leg when the other started to cramp, and before I knew it, it was 5 p.m. We said our goodbyes, and I hopped on a local bike ride home. The rider's body odor turned out to be a surprisingly effective distraction from checking my phone for messages or missed calls from Sarah.

When I finally reached my small, one-room apartment, I collapsed onto the bed. A few seconds later, I reached for my phone at the far end of the mattress. As soon as I unlocked it, I sat straight up.

Two missed calls from Sarah.

And one long text.

I read it carefully.

Hey Daniel. You're probably on your way home from work right now. I really wish it didn't have to come to this, but nobody can predict the future, right? I've found someone else. I know you probably don't want to hear about him, but we're getting serious, and it wouldn't be fair to keep leading you on. I'm really sorry, but this is goodbye. I truly wish you the best in life.

Everything went blurry. I lay back down, staring at the ceiling as memories flooded in-the "I love yous," the nights she sat on this same bed taking care of me when I was sick, the first time we slept together.

Then came the sharp pain in my chest, the kind that makes it hard to breathe. The realization that those moments were no longer mine-that she was now sharing them with someone else.

I cried for a while. Eventually, the emotional wave passed, leaving behind a strange mix of sadness and relief. Deep down, I think part of me had already let go. Maybe I had wanted this to happen. Maybe I hadn't been as in love as I thought.

Either way, it didn't matter anymore.

After lying there for a while, my phone rang. It was Mark. I had completely forgotten about the outing.

I picked up.

"Brooooo," he said. "Are you getting ready?"

"Man," I replied, "you would never guess what just happened."

"Sarah broke up with you, right?" he said casually.

"What the hell?" I sat up again. "How did you know?"

"Well," he said, "nothing exciting ever really happens to you, and I'm your only friend, so I figured it was about time."

"Damn, bro. You didn't have to be that blunt."

"Anyway," he continued, "now that you're single, you don't have to feel guilty about having some fun. So get up. Let's go out."

"Yeah... I guess so," I said. "Where should I meet you guys?"

"The Backyard," he replied. "That's where we're all meeting."

"Okay. Bet."

I ended the call and lay back down, staring at the painting on my wall:

BE THE MAIN CHARACTER OF YOUR STORY.

After a moment, I got up, took a shower, got dressed, and headed out.

I stepped out of my apartment and onto the tarred road, my mind stuck on Sarah.

Who was the guy she was with now? Was he taller than me? Better-looking? Was he some CEO?

I got into a vehicle, but the thoughts followed me. Eventually, I decided to text her-just for closure. I opened WhatsApp, typed her name, and that's when I realized she had blocked me.

Another sharp pain hit my chest.

I checked Facebook. Blocked. Instagram. Blocked.

"What the fuck," I muttered out loud.

A few passengers glanced at me, but I didn't care. I just stared out the window at the road ahead. The sky looked heavy, like a storm was coming.

When I arrived at The Backyard-a local bar-I walked in to find it slightly crowded. I scanned the room for Mark. Then I saw a hand waving.

It was him.

As I walked toward him, he stepped forward too. We shook hands, then he pulled me into a quick hug and whispered in my ear, "We are both in law school. We are both in law school."

He pulled back, smiled, and said, "Come."

He started toward the bar. I was about to say something when I noticed them-two beautiful girls sitting at the high table across the room, staring at us.

"So," Mark said, gesturing dramatically, "this is the guy I've been telling you about. I know he's a lot to look at, but that's not his only talent. He might be a bit shy, but all you need to do is wine and dine him, and he'll reveal the rest."

He chuckled.

"Oh really?" one of the girls asked, turning to me.

"Don't mind this idiot," I said with a smile. "My name's Daniel. Nice to meet you."

I leaned in for a hug. She smelled so good I couldn't help myself.

"You smell really nice," I said.

She smiled, covering her mouth slightly. "I haven't heard that in a while."

"Maybe you haven't been hanging around the right people," I said, clearly flirting.

"Maybe I haven't," she replied, holding my gaze.

"Wow," Mark's date cut in, "you two seem to be hitting it off already."

She turned to us. "I'm Linda. And this lovely friend you're flirting with is Daniella."

I looked at Daniella, surprised. "Wait-your name is also Daniel?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Wow," I said again.

And for the first time in hours, Sarah didn't cross my mind.

"Maybe we should get a table so we can talk properly," Mark suggested.

We all agreed.

We were lucky enough to find a clean table at the far end of the bar. It was quieter there, less crowded, so we could actually hear each other speak. We ordered a few shots.

Daniella spoke first. "So Mark told us you're in law school. What's that like?"

I caught Mark staring at me, silently begging me not to mess this up.

"It's hectic and stressful," I said. "Honestly, I don't want to bore you with the details. And I'm not sure if Mark told you, but we work at a fast-food place, so yeah-our lives aren't nearly as interesting as you might think."

Mark looked impressed. I wasn't sure about the girls.

"I think you're doing very well for yourselves," Linda said. "Any girl would be lucky to be part of your lives."

"Well, that's enough about us," Mark said. "How's school life?"

"It's fun," Linda replied casually. "We learn new stuff every day-and how old stuff works. That's pretty much it."

Mark and I chuckled.

"You make it sound so boring," I said.

The girls laughed, and Daniella leaned in. "Honestly, Daniel, almost everything they teach can be learned on YouTube. Isn't it better to learn from people with real experience than from those who spent their lives cramming textbooks?"

"We mostly attend lectures for the experience," Linda added, "and to keep our parents happy."

"So you don't believe in the school system?" I asked.

"Do you want the honest answer?" Linda said.

"Shoot."

"It's all a bunch of bullshit," they both said at the same time.

Before I could respond, the waiter arrived with a tray holding at least twenty shots of vodka.

"Whoa-right on time," Mark said.

We started doing shots. One after another. After a while, everything softened-the noise, the lights, the thoughts. I was tipsy.

Then Sarah crept back into my mind.

I pulled my phone out, even though I didn't know what I was expecting. She had blocked me everywhere. Still, I checked Snapchat-and to my surprise, she hadn't blocked me there.

I sent a simple hey.

No reply. She wasn't online.

"Are you okay?" Daniella asked quietly, careful not to draw attention.

"I'm good," I said, slipping my phone back into my pocket.

"So, Daniel," Linda said, her eyes red and glassy, clearly drunk. "What's your number-one wish? Your deepest, darkest desire?"

I thought about it.

Then I stood up-and immediately realized how drunk I was. I staggered slightly, but the amazing thing about alcohol is that it steals your fear along with your balance.

"I want to be a vampire so bad," I said.

The table exploded with laughter.

"Y'all think I'm joking," I continued, raising my voice. "I want to be a fucking vampire."

I slammed my hands on the table.

"Vampires are lucky, man. They're free. Free. I wish I could be one."

Everyone laughed again-but this time, Daniella didn't. She just smiled at me.

That's when I noticed her.

At the table beside us-right next to Daniella-sat a girl with long black hair and red lips that didn't look like lipstick. She couldn't have been more than twenty-four. She wore a black leather jacket over a black top. Her eyes were large and unsettling, and they were fixed on me.

She chuckled softly, then looked away-back toward the guy sitting across from her, whose face I couldn't see.

Embarrassed, I excused myself and headed to the restroom.

I was very drunk, but I managed to find the toilet. While peeing, I checked my phone again. I opened Snapchat.

Sarah's chat was gone.

She had blocked me-again.

I sighed, exited the stall, and froze.

She was standing there, waiting.

Up close, she was even more beautiful. Pale, almost white skin. Calm. Watching me.

"Won't you wash your hands?" she said.

"I-sorry," I muttered, staggerin

g toward the sink. I washed my hands, and through the mirror, I could see her staring at me.

"So," she said softly, "you want to be a vampire?"

I turned to face her.