3- A Strange Weekend

Not only did Sylvia seal a contract with a strangely ridiculous demon whose mark was an emoji, but that very demon also lives with her now. It's been only two days since they had had their agreement; yet Mephistopheles was already pretty much at home. Besides taking the liberty to clean her whole house, he had managed to create a space for himself, that space being the living room's pale pink sofa. He would always sit there and read one of her books whenever he was not being a clean freak. He also did all of this while very much naked, which made Sylvia feel even more conflicted about this whole thing. It wasn't that she hated the sight, but she just could not get used to having a naked man, albeit a non-human one, walking comfortably around the house like it's nobody's business. 

"Have you considered not shoving your butt in my face all day and maybe wearing some pants?" When she said this, she was referring to him bending down to clean under the dining table. She had undeniably asked him to become her close friend, that is, someone who is always there for her. But she never meant to have him literally next to her at all times, and naked at that too. 

"I don't see no pants to wear." His reply made her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. Buttoning her blouse, she cast a quick glance at the hanging mirror. "Can't you like manifest one or something?" She hissed back, fixing her bangs.

"I am a demon sweetheart, not a magician. I only manifest what you wish for me to do. Besides that I can't do anything that special." Having found a dirty spot by the corner of the table, he stopped to wipe it thoroughly, then continued, "Except maybe teleporting, and like, other demon stuff." His words earned him a long sigh from his contractor, who was now heading to the door. 

"Well, I am going to work now Mr. useless demon. So I'll see you, I guess." Sylvia fixed her bag then left without waiting for his reply. 

Now at the bus station, she leaned back against the plastic bench and thought about how strange this weekend had been. Three days ago, she had thought she would be dead today, without needing to worry about working or eating. Today, she is as alive as ever; and now, she had to go back to work, otherwise she'd starve to death, which was not how she wanted to go. Then, she had an annoying demon to worry about. As Sylvia got on the bus, she wondered what he would be doing at home while she was gone. 

Outside her house and everything that happened in it, life seemed to be going on as it always had, repetitive, boring, and difficult. Now at the café, Sylvia greeted the manager and headed to the back. There, she saw her colleague, David, putting on his apron. 

"Morning, Sylvia." He said with a gentle smile. 

"Hey." She replied and opened her locker. Placing her phone and bag, she took out her own apron and put it on. Another day, another struggle, she told herself as she tightened it around her waist. 

"I like your blouse!" He commented, and she thanked him politely. Damon was a nice person, for the most part anyway, and so was her manager, who was now wiping the counter. But Sylvia still hated it here; she hated having to smile to rude customers; she hated seeing them look so happy and genuine. But what could she do? She had to earn some money; and since she quit college, she didn't have a lot of employment choices. The manager hired her out of kindness even though she had had no prior experience, so she should just be thankful and do a proper job. The first customers came in, a couple of teenagers apparently stopping by before school. Sylvia sighed, then headed out to take them to their seats. 

Meanwhile, the great demon Mephistopheles was cleaning the hall. Having finished with all the rooms in the house, there was just the hall left. For a girl who didn't seem like she had much, this was quite a decent house, both in terms of size and interior. Maybe she was the type of human who got suicidal over trivial things, like a broken heart or a failed task. As he wiped the floorboards, he noticed a curtain that was longer than those of the windows facing it. Curious, he pulled it so he could see the view from this side of the wall. To his surprise, however, behind the curtain laid not a window, but a door. Lifting an eyebrow, he placed his hand on the handle, only to find out that this door was locked. 

"Hmmm... What is she hiding here?" 

Shrugging, the demon teleported behind the door, finding himself in a completely dark room. His crimson eyes could see perfectly in the dark, so he did not need to switch on the light. It appeared to be some kind of a bedroom, a smaller one than Sylvia's. Everything about it seemed ordinary, but for a familiar scent. This room reeked of death, Mephistopheles could tell. The scent was strongest by the window, which was shut with poorly nailed wood boards. 

"Oh well." Having his curiosity satiated, he soon returned to his earlier task. "I guess I have more cleaning to do."