The Jock, The Nerd and The Geek

26

Until last night.

He had been in his room, trying out a new coding program when his phone began to ring. At first, he thought it was Ace trying to invite him to a party, as always, since Maria didn't mind much anymore, and he was planning to ignore it, but somehow, he found himself raising the phone up and freezing when he saw the caller ID.

A is calling.

Marcos stared at it for a few seconds, his eyes blinking as if the words would change if he did it a lot. That perhaps, he was imagining it, but after a few seconds and he realized he wasn't, he picked before thinking twice of it.

When he did so, the first thing that came to his head was the fact he hadn't seen her in... More than a month. Or heard from her. More than once, he had been tempted to go over to her place and do so, but... But he knew he shouldn't.

Plus, he wanted to be... Better than she remembered. Different, in a good way. So he stayed away, promising himself when he was, he would go there and talk to her himself.

But now... Now that she was calling...

He put the phone to his ear, his heart racing as he did so. For the first few seconds, he heard nothing. Just her... Breathing calmly, staying silent, then after a while, said, "It's cold,"

Her voice was small. Soft. It felt like a whisper, like she was behind him as she said those words, goosebumps appearing on his skin as he replied, "C-Cover yourself,"

"Mhm," She hummed quietly, then let out a small sigh, "I should. But... Tired,"

And she did sound tired. Drowsy even. His heart pausing as one thought came to his head. "Alex, did you overdose again?"

She stayed quiet, her breathing suddenly coming out tinier. In a flash, Marcos was out of his chair, running out of his room with the phone still on his ear, his next words coming out in a breath and in spanish, "Alex, I swear to God, if that's what you did. I'd never forgive you. I'd hate you so fucking much—"

When he was out of his house, he heard his Abuela ask what was wrong but he ignored her, pausing at his foot as he heard Alex laugh.

It seemed... Normal, though a little exhausted as she said in another whisper, "You sound like Paris. It's... Cute,"

Marcos turned to her house. Something wasn't feeling right. She had never called him when she overdosed, rather avoiding him. And if she was now, nothing was making sense, but he didn't care as he walked down the road in the middle of the night in a loose polo shirt and mini shorts, a gnawing feeling beginning in his chest. "Just stay wherever you are, I'm —"

"I love you,"

He froze.

"Both... Of you..." He heard her take in a breath, the next three words coming out in a gasp. "I love you."

"Alex?" Her breathing was slowing down, the same way his panic was growing. "Alexandra?!"

She didn't reply.

Marcos broke into a sprint now, reaching her house faster than he ever had and pushed the door, calling out her name.

She didn't answer.