Carry Me Home Tonight

I sat at the dinner table with Ryan to my right and my mother across from me with my father to my left. I sat there quieter than usual. My mind was always on Mark, always now. He was like a drug than infected all my senses never leaving, always wanting more, making me want more.

Over the past couple months, the wind has gotten colder and the air nippier. But that never changed one thing about our relationship. When Kari would fall asleep, I would go up into his room, and he would always be lying on his bed waiting for me. I would climb in bed with him, and he would hold me close, we would whisper to each other for hours, as we passed along our secrets and lives.

He would kiss my skin, finding the right places that left me wanting more. But our lips never met again, and the more time I spent with him the more I liked him and the more he opened up. He would always smile when I was around now, that smile that made my pulse pound and my heart flutter. He started to laugh more often now too, it was like I had lit a match and set flame to the candle that had sat idle and cold until I came along.

I picked at my dinner once again, it was a family night tonight at the Halverson's (whatever the hell that meant over there) so Jamie called and said that I should stay home with my family and enjoy the night.

My relationship with Jamie has been actually really nice since Haddie gave her the okay that there was nothing going on between Mark and I. She has been super sweet to me, she has raised my pay a little more, all in all she treats me like her other daughter. And I am always nice to her, but deep inside I wish I could slap her without having the consequence of what would happen. Because Mark still stays up in his room when his family is around, they never mention his name but I know everyone can feel the presence of him like a weight on their shoulders.

And then there is Haddie.

She is on such another level as everyone. Which I guess makes since because of her past. The way her mother forced her into a relationship with someone she didn't truly love, but she never let her blue eyed prince go. But Cayden was the one fighting; he never let her fall and always was there for her. When I see Mark I can see the same spark Cayden has in his eyes around Haddie, and seeing this makes me stomach do flips. He may look like his dad, John (I saw a picture of him one time when Mark was showing me his old family albums) but his smile and his sense on humor is Cayden to the tee.

I picked around at my dinner some more until someone finally noticed my silence, "Honey are you feeling okay?" I heard my dad's voice speak out, his hand gently resting on mine.

I turned to look at him, "I am great, just a little tired." I told him honestly. I really was great, I have been better than great for the weeks that have passed with Mark. I have honestly never been happier.

I looked over at Ryan in that moment as she smiled at me. She really was the best, "Ryan so who are you smitten with these days?" I asked her smiling back.

She laughed, "Smitten what are you Sherlock Holmes?" she asked.

I shrugged smirking, "Hey you never know I could be him reincarnated." I laughed, "Now fess up!" I told her.

She shrugged at her fork twirled around in her noodles, "Just a guy...." She said quietly, I saw her eyes flicker up to my parents as her face flushed red.

I looked at my parents in that moment. They were finished eating and now just staring at us, "Hey I will clean up the kitchen why don't you go out and get some ice cream for us?" I asked them.

"But we have some-" my dad started, but thankfully my mom cut him off.

"We will go get some honey, how about Ben and Jerry's?" she asked. I nodded in response as they both pushed their ways out from the table and left the room. I could hear my dad asking my mom questions about what's going on and all she kept saying was that it was a girl issue.

I don't know what I would do without my mom, so what does Mark do without a dad? But then it hit me, he spent most of his time without his real father as he was raised with Cayden. But look who he turned out to be, someone amazing, and someone who I am starting to seriously like.

I turned to Ryan, "Who?" I simply asked.

She smiled lightly; I could see her face redden, "A long time ago, the night you left the party, both Jason and I got pretty wasted and next thing I know is that we are kissing...." She whispered the last line like she was afraid of it. I sat there stunned for a moment, Jason and Ryan, wow that would be different. But then something hit me, I could actually see it, they would be kind of cute together in reality....