Melane

Chapter Nineteen: Irish Stars and Delicate Arms

Mark stays silent, frowning at the ground. Minutes pass like hours before he whispers, "She's the one who found you, you know."

"Oh... She... Called the ambulance?"

"No, she said she was frozen, screaming... Too traumatized to do anything. We don't know who called, but I'm grateful to whomever it was... We all are."

I sigh and lean against him. The company is nice. He rests his chin on my head and gently pulls me closer to him. I'm not sure why he's doing this. To make me feel better? Whatever reason he has, I honestly don't mind. I can feel his breathing slow, and mine slows with him. Just as I'm about to fall asleep, I decide to ask him. Maybe he knows. "Mark?" I murmur.

"Hmmph?"

"Why am I still alive?"

"Hmm?"

"Both veins..." I can't bring myself to finish.

"Oh," he yawns and his muscles tense against me. "Actually... Not both. Mel told me, it was just one. You... Missed the right one. By just a little..."

"One should have been enough..."

"Should have, but Mel got to you really fast. And the ambulance... Oh, Sean." He hugs me even tighter still.

"I'm sorry," I mumble.

"Don't apologize- just... Smile."

"I can't."

He pushes me off and turns me to him. "Please, Ja- Sean."

"You can call me Jack, that's what you've always called me."

"Yeah, but, it doesn't... Feel right anymore. Now that I'm seeing you as Sean." I nod and lean back against the tree. He puts his head on my shoulder and looks up at the stars again. "You'll be okay, I promise."

"I don't know what I'm going to do."

"About?"

"Everything. My whole world is collapsed..."

"Well... If you don't mind, I'd like to stay with you, in your apartment. Just for a little while... We can make a video if you want, and well, you could make a vlog. You don't have to say everything. People are just going to be confused."

My eyes widen with fear. Oh god, I told him to tell everyone. Oh god. "What did you tell them, Mark?"

"Just that a friend of mine was in trouble... And that I had to go help. I was a blubbering mess. I don't think they could understand ninety-percent of what I said..."

"So, they don't know?"

"Nothing. Just that I'm here with you, and that something serious happened." He lifts his head off my shoulder and looks into my eyes, moonlight glinting off his glasses.

"Mark, are you okay?"

"Are you?"

"Mark..." I trail off. He knows I'm not.

"Then don't worry about me, Sean. Focus on feeling better, being happier. Is there anything I can do?"

"You're already doing it."

"What?"

"Being a friend-" he pulls me into a rough hug, squishing me against his chest. I wheeze, unable to finish my sentence in his rib-crushing embrace.

"I love you, Sean."

"I... Love you too, Mark." He releases me and I struggle to catch my breath.

"Let's head back?" He suggests, standing and lowering his hands for me. I grab hold and he yanks me up. My stitches tighten in the process, causing me to cry out. "Oh," he hugs me. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"