HER

Part 20

For the last fifteen minutes, I hold her close, as she weeps, sobbing like a baby. I might have said some encouragements that Darren is d*ck and that he does not fit Mary's humoristic personality but none of it mattered. Darren already got someone else and soon to be married by Lucy. If I was at her state, I would have been downhearted and heartsick. No amount of comfort words would suffice my sadness.

At this hour, we are watching Titanic making Mary crying all over again. I don't know why did she ever choose that channel, the story wasn't even romantic in reality. She wailed while poorly munching the marshmallow, ripping it in half. I felt bad for the marshmallow, I hope when it reaches to her digestive system it won't get hit by other masticated subsistence. " Jack why? Why would you die? It isn't five minutes yet. Why would you froze like that?"

I rolled my eyes and covered my ears as her weeping deafened. " Will you pls stop doing that? They are only highlighting one person's death, it would have been more realistic if you are crying over 1,500 people in that sinking ship!"

" They are highlighting more than a person's death, you heartless and unsympathetic scum! Shame on you!"

I was about to get up and tell her who the hell she was referring to when there is a knock on the door.

I looked through the peephole and my body gone stiffened.

I opened the door but not too wide for him to notice who I am with.

Mark was looking down on his feet, his hands on his pocket as if there was something imprinted on the ground. When I slightly opened up, his chin raised, eyes expectantly looking for none other than Mary, " Is Mary around? "

I looked over at my peripheral vision. Mary was already walking towards us. She took hold of the doorjamb and raised her eyes to Mark.

Mark's cheeks reddened, " M-Mary, I was looking for you."

I looked down and realized, Mary was shaking too. I secretly smiled then excused myself and leave them be.

I was sitting in the kitchen with Mary at my side and Mark across from us.

If you ask me, I don't why or how we are situated in this kind of position. Honestly speaking, it was Mary and Mark's business to talk about their relationship and my absence to give them enough time to do so.

So I laggardly peeled myself out of the picture, hoping to retreat successfully to my room," Guys, I think you need to talk about this problem alone."

" No. You have to be here with me Cassy, you'll be the one to settle our dispute." Mary clutched at my arm as if I'll escape anytime.

" Yeah. I agree. I don't want to end up fighting over Mary and breaking our friendship just for a single kiss."

" You call that a single kiss? It's five seconds longer than that you know. " Mary seethed.

" That wasn't just a kiss. That was more than a kiss!"

Mark tilted his head in embarrassment, clearly wrong about handling his personal feelings.We talked about how last night was going, how mary was feeling when she kissed Mark and why
Mark responded to that kiss.

Mark also explained he brought her home safely and surprisingly said it was one of the best nights of his life.

" let me get this straight-" I clarified. " Was last night your first time kissing?"

" Yeah. " Mary said.

" no. " - Mark said otherwise.

They look at each other and Mark gone red.

" No?" Mary questioned. Her brows crossed. I can see she turned kind of pinkish knowing it wasn't their first time at all.

" Yea.. no, our first time was in second-year high school where we went out in karaoke and you got drunk." The more Mark explains the more he blushes. His eyes downcast.

" Wait." I closed my eyes and scratched my eyebrow. " All this time, you like Mary? "

" Because of that one kiss, I realized it was Mary I wanted. And no I didn't kiss her, it was an accident. I was supposed to help her out but then she slips so I had to catch her and then right then and there we kissed. " Mark was remained hesitant to look at us so he was looking down neither staring at us in the eyes.Good call or it would have been awkward.

" So all of the girlfriend thing, breaking up with Lisa and going out with Sarah at the party... all those were for a show? " Mary asked, bewildered.

It was true. It was the second year of high school did Mark started dating. I was shocked at first but knowing he is a guy I think it is normal for them to come out from their comfort zone and started dating girls and falling in love with them.

Mark is a private kind of guy in terms of talking about his love life but unexpectedly he is expressive with his feelings to us. Every time he gets dump he ended up crying to us.

Mark shrugged, " I was trying out different girls to make you jealous and also to distract myself. But I think you are too in love with Darren to even spare a glance at me and I am too in love with you so I hide myself on relationships so I can't end up punching every guy in the face every time they swept you over your feet."

I knew at that moment Mary's heart swelled up.

A knock came from the front door. It was me who decided to open it as they are too preoccupied talking at one another.

" I'll be getting that ." I stood up, heading for the door.

When I opened it, it was Xavier's smile that welcomed me. Pushed up hair, no glasses, and unknowingly handsome on this sunny day.

I was taken aback. Of course, he knows where I live but coming here in the morning? I think it was a little absurd.

Xavier lifted his right lip to me, almost like smirking. " Hey. Good morning, I just want to know if how you are feeling."

Really? He was just coming here knowing how I was feeling? That's all?

"I'm fine."I leaned on the door jamb and grinned at him. Then my head reeled at the water and the tablet. I suddenly asked, "Was it you who placed the tablet?"

" Yeah, it was me. You haven't been answering my calls." He crossed his arms and leaned at the door frame as well.

I looked down on my phone and suddenly realized a couple of missed calls from an unknown number, " oh yeah sorry about that. I was busy with umm some... assignments."

Yeah right. Too busy thinking about you Xav, and no one else.He nodded then he lifted his head behind me looking for something, " do you have guests in?"

"I Ummm. I do have but there are... " I looked behind me only to see Mary is sitting on Mark's lap and they are now wildly smooching at the kitchen. " Quite busy as well."

" I have something serious I wanna talk to you about. " He bit his upper lip and gave me a sexy grin.

I blinked a couple of time to see if my eyes wasn't fooling me and truth be told they were making out! I cleared my throat and looked over at Xavier, smiling at him, keeping the door near my face in case the scene gets more scandalous than it already is, " what is it?"

" Recently a carnival was opened in the city. There is this umm, ticket I have. It was an old... friends' of mine but they can't go. " He winced when he said, friend. Although seeing Xavier having friends makes me smile. At least I wouldn't worry about him being lonely anymore.

" Oh sure. Count me in." I smiled at him, my heart fluttered in my chest when he gazes at me in question.

" Cool." He nodded then he paused, " The problem is I have four tickets and I don't know whom to ask for...do you by any chance know a couple that could go with us?"

I thought passed through my head and looked over behind me. My smile widened at Xavier and said, " I think I know just a pair."