The Jock, The Nerd and The Geek

Epilogue (Part Two)

"In the middle of nowhere?"

Marcos closed his eyes, the longer they argued about it, she would have already gone. "It's a clearing in the forest, it was the middle of nowhere."

"Marcos, I have looked everywhere for her, and I- I have connections, if she wanted us to find her, I would have. Maybe she doesn't want us to find her."

Of course, he would try to find a reason to avoid meeting her. "I told you, the only reason was because she had joined the Marines and was stationed at Iraq. Somehow, my Abuela found out and they talked about it. Besides, she couldn't come look for us then, could she?"

He was silent again, his lips pressed together while he adjusted in his seat, his chest rising and falling in rapid pants before he said, "It's been seven years, Marcos. Seven. Things have changed. We have changed. And we are fine. We don't need her."

"Fine?" Marcos repeated, looking at him, studying every new wrinkle, eye bag. "When was the last time you actually took a good rest? A long really good one? Are you even sleeping?"

"It doesn't matter-"

"It matters because this is how you are. Work so you don't think of anything else. Push yourself to the brink of death." Marcos cut in, folding his arms. "And no one tells you anything because they aren't close enough to act like they care and if I tell you, you never listen to me, but if she did-"

His hands clenched around the wheel tighter. "Stop."

"You would. All she needs to do is tell you that you need to rest, and you would listen, and I... I am fine, if that's what your definition is for having everything and feeling empty. Paris, I once had everything, right in my hands, and I lost it, but I bore it, because I had no other choice and I learnt to stand the pain, ignore it, and now, it's eaten a hole in me that refuses to shut close. Unlike you, I won't sit down and let myself die in pain. I won't."

"She fucking used us!" Paris suddenly snapped, his eyes widening as he looked at Marcos. "You think that's the same Alexandra we fell in love with? She's not. She might have glimpses of our time together, but this person... This person used our feelings just to get them back. Something that she would have never done."

Marcos kept his voice low, eyes narrowed. "And let me guess, you threatened her to stay away from us?"

The statement to hit Paris like a blow as he turned back to the street, his jaws clenching. "I was fucking hurt and angry, and it's not like she doesn't know I wouldn't have done anything."

Marcos sighed now. "That's the thing. She doesn't know," He bit on his lower lip now, hands shaking, "When I- When I first met Alex, she wasn't... She wasn't the version you met. She was cold. Aloof. Unemotional. She was existing, not living at the time, and yet I... I hadn't cared. Someone was willing to protect me and I wanted that, that feeling so I stayed and she has taken care of me since then. Ever since you've met her, you saw one side of her, because all she's ever done is try to be good enough for us, whatever sides that had flaws, she didn't hide them, but she never let things go to that extent because she didn't want to hurt us."

But of course, Paris wasn't the type to back down from a fight. "Doesn't give her the fucking rights to do what she did."

"So what, Paris? She lost her memory. Everything is different for her. Everything. She's more like a child that has no idea what she's doing, or who to trust, who to believe, what to believe," Marcos gave a shrug, adding, "Besides, she's been there for us, no matter what we did, or said, or acted out. If anything... If anything, we shouldn't abandon her now if she actually wants to see if we would like to go to her. We've taken enough space from each other to know what we want so I would like us to just... Settle everything once and for all. Plus," He closed his eyes, his body curling on its own. "I just need to know my Mommy's alright."