Their Obsession

Chapter 21

"What do you mean?" I ask going to sit next to him on the couch.

"I don't know what do after. Like after the sex, I don't know what to do. Nobody has ever stuck around after. But she has. And... I... I just don't know what to do with that. What to do with myself."

"So, what? You're self-sabotaging?"

He says nothing and we sit in silence for a moment.

"Mark," say finally breaking the silence. "I'm only going to say this because I love you, okay."

He finally turns to look at me.

"Some of this is on you as well. I mean ever since high school you have gone around putting yourself as that kid. And you relished in breaking people's hearts and leading them on, even now. So yeah, they never stayed after... but neither did you, Mark."

He tilts his head at me but remains silent.

"I have royally screwed this up, haven't I?"

He lets out a slight chuckle.

"Yep."

I lean onto his shoulder and he wraps his arm around me.

"But it's not too late to fix this. She's really hurting, Mark. And feels like she's alone. Just at least talk to her. It's not going to fix itself with you hiding out in bars."

I get up and reach for his hand, pulling him up on the couch.

"I just... I just don't want to be a shitty parent," he confesses.

"Relax," I laugh. "She's only about a month pregnant. You still have eight more months to learn how not to suck. Besides, you somewhat raised me, and I think I turned out okay."

"Don't tell your mother that."

We both pause for a second then break into laughter at the same time.

"Okay, so go now," I give him a push towards the door. "Go fix this."

"Alright, alright."

He straightens up and continues toward the door himself. I slump back on the couch.

"But if I don't come back, you'll know it is because she killed me."

"You'll be fine."

"Says the one sending me to my doom."

He opens the door to leave but poked his head back in one more time.

"April... thank you."

"I love you."

"Love you too," he says smiling before he shuts the door.

~

Saturday arrives and I have still not faced Javier nor Damien. This is the longest we have gone without speaking to each other since this whole relationship began, and I definitely do not feel good about it. I arrive at my mom's house around noon alone as Mark is still busy trying to mend things with Trinity. He spends most of his time at her place and things seem to be going well. Trinity still has not forgiven him, "not even close" as she has informed me. She's definitely making him work for it. My mom lives in a more suburban part of Miami, whereas I live more in the city. She is always complaining about how I should move closer to home.

But like hell, I will.

The last thing I need is for my mother to be in such close distance to me that she will be able to torment me every day. Instead, now, she is only able to do it a couple times a week.