The Nerd's Best Friend

•EPILOGUE•

Word Count: 1201

***

  I stare at my apartment ceiling, tears staining my face. I take a deep breath, getting up. I tread into my kitchen, and open the music box. The small ballerina spins weakly, before creaking to a stop. I sigh, opening the paper.

  I love you Lynnie.

    -Marcus <3

"No. No no no. No you don't!" I scream, crumpling it up and throwing it on the ground. I slowly ball up on the floor in heaps.

  One year ago, our sophomore year in college. He showed up at my door in New York.

  "Rae, we need to talk." He whispered. I froze, afraid of what was coming next.

  "Y-yeah, come in." I said, as he walked in. He let out a sigh, standing in front of me. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. He chuckled slightly, as I watched his blue eyes. They kept flickering from regret to pity to pain.

   "Marcus. What's wrong?" I ask, grasping his face in my hands. He already has tears streaming down his cheeks and I wipe them away.

  "I'm going to be a dad." He muttered, looking at the ground. I froze, confused. I wasn't pregnant. Did he? He couldn't.

  "What do you mean?" I stuttered, stepping back. I could slowly feel my entire world shattering as he took a deep breath.

  "I was drunk. Like really drunk. And-"

  "MARCUS!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN!" I screamed with tears coming down. My time startled him, but he was clearly expecting it.

  "I got anther girl pregnant. I had sex with another girl and I'm going to be a dad to her child." He said quietly, looking up at me.

  All at once, everything cane shattering down. My knees gave out as I fell to the ground and my chest shook with sobs. My mind kept replaying what he had told me and hit hurt so much more each time.

  He sat down beside me, cradling me. I gave in, I couldn't fight. I was too hurt to fight. After a bit, I had calmed my crying and was able to speak.

  "What do you do now?" I muttered. He sighed, holding me tighter. I melted into the comfort of his hold.

  "I can't leave her alone with the baby. I'm going to marry her." He whispered.

  My body went numb and I broke down into tears again.

•
•
•

  "Hey Marc!" I grin, opening the door to my small home. Marc and his wife, Courtney, and their eight year old daughter, Lily, came in.

  It been six years since we graduated college, and Marcus and I are still best friends, while I've become accustomed to his little family. Courtney is very kind and a great wife. Marcus is happy and loves his little girl to pieces.

  "Dinner will be ready soon." I tell them, as Lilly runs to the tv room, turning on her show.

  "Rae Rae! Is Carter going to be here?" She asks, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"No Carter isn't." I say. Carter is my six year old nephew, Claire's son.

  "Lynnie, we need to talk." Marcus says and Courtney nods. I agree, heading to the kitchen. We all sit at the table, as Courtney takes Marcus's hand.

  "Raelynn. We've been talking. And well. We've decided we're getting divorced." Courtney spoke. I froze for a second, absorbing all of this.

  "Why?" I asked, looking at the two of them.

  "I haven't been able to pursue my dream of modeling, and Marc and I haven't been getting along recently." Courtney told me. Marcus was just watching me, and I could see the ghost of a smile on his face.

  "We were hoping you could take care of Lily for us. I'm going to be traveling for work, and I can't take her with me." Marcus finally spoke up. I glanced at the little girl with blonde hair playing in my living room. I bit my lip and nodded.

  "Of course. And I support y'all no matter what. When should we tell her?" I ask, looking at them. They grin, nodding.

  "We told her we were getting divorced, but not about her moving in with you. We're signing the papers soon, and she can move in whenever you're ready." Courtney assured me. I nodded, getting up to hug them.

  Marcus was still my best friend, despite what happened to us in the past, and I would care for him and his family. I would support him through everything, no matter what.

•
•
•

  Today was the day. Lily was moving in with me. I finished dusting her room, grinning. I turned around to see Naomi leaning up against the door, her engagement ring sparkling.

  Her and Luke got engaged about two months ago and they're getting married in a year.

  "You ready to be a mom?" She smirked at me. I laughed, hitting her arm lightly.

  "Yes." I grinned, as the door bell rang. I looked at Naomi taking a deep breath.

  "Here we go."

  We ran down stairs, swinging open the door. There I saw Courtney, Marcus, and Lily. Marcus was carrying her bags, and Courtney was smiling at me.

  "Hey guys. Come in." I said, letting them in. Lily ran straight to Naomi, hugging her tightly. I gave Courtney and Marcus a hug, my skin lighting in fire from Marcus's touch.

  "Want to see your room?" I asked, looking at Lily. She nodded gleefully as we headed up the stairs into her room. It was a light yellow with butterflies covering one wall. Her little bed was on the far left and there was a desk and her dresser on the back wall. Her closet was on the right and everything else was empty, for her to fill up.

  "I love it!!" She exclaimed running into the bed. Marcus chuckled, running after her. I looked at Courtney, her eyes lighting up as she watched them. I could see tears riming her eyes, and I expected nothin g less. I put my arm around her, hugging her.

  "I'll take good care of her. I promise." I said, calming her worries. She nodded, pulling away.

  "I know. It's just so hard. This little ball of energy is a part of me. But I just didn't wan her to be in a house of arguing and I wanted to fulfill my dream before making hers come true." She said, wiping away a tear.

  "We're here!" Luke exclaimed entering the room with Wyatt.

  "Lily!!" Wyatt exclaimed as he hugged her tightly. Luke kissed Naomi, as hey watched Wyatt.

  I waved goodbye to Courtney as she got in her car, going to the airport. Lily had gone outside to the backyard with Wyatt and Luke and Naomi after saying bye as well. I turned to Marcus, as he grabbed me and kissed me with everything he had. It felt so good and so right.

  Once he pulled away, he grinned, pulling me into his chest.

  "I've been waiting to do that again for eight years." He sighed. I nodded, kissing him once more.

  "I love you." I whispered, he nodded, looking at the backyard where Lily was running around with Wyatt.

  "I love you too."