Maybe.
Maybe.
Maybe.
Maybe.
Fifty-fifty chance.
Right?
If we didn't go to the party, I never would have met Jude.
If I never met Jude, there wouldn't even be a maybe.
I didn't provoke him into taking me hostage. He lost his damn mind.
Telling me it's my fault for his money problems when I never wanted anything to be bought for me tenfold.
Damn it...
Damn it.
Damn it!
DAMN IT!
WHY DID I TRUST HIM?!
What the hell is wrong with me?!
EVER SINCE JUDE TOOK ME AWAY, I CAN'T FIND PEACE!
My mind is a wreck, it's so hard to trust, I'm always paranoid. I'm so sick of looking over my shoulder in complete fear.
My focus went from the burnt wood to the dark sky, sighing to myself.
"Hey," Mark called my attention to him sliding out from the sliding glass door, "is everything okay?"
"Just peachy." I groaned.
He took a seat next to me. "Bipolar much?"
"I wasn't bipolar back then because everything was just fine. The reason I'm 'bipolar' is because of Jude... he took my peace the day he took me."
He gave me a hug, having me close to his chest. "I'm sorry..." His breath glided through my hair.
After everything I've been through, I still couldn't blame Mark. It's obvious that it tore him apart. He regrets it. I wouldn't be surprised if he hurt himself for the years I was missing.
"Don't blame yourself, Mark... it's my fault for trusting him."
His chest rippled.
I pushed myself away a little.
His hands tried to cover his eyes, tears smearing all over his face. "You have no idea how sorry I am."
In my entire life, I have never seen a man cry except for Mark. It made me... happy... because he has emotions, too, and he's not afraid to show them. That makes a man in my book.
I carefully wrapped my arms around him just like old times. "Mark. I'm fine now. Just give me time to heal."
He calmed down after a few moments. "I don't deserve your kindness."
"Well, maybe not." I shrugged. "At the same time, you do."
The shock on his face couldn't hide his disbelief that I just said what I did.
"Why?"
"You kept me alive through those hard times. Maybe I couldn't get anything out to you for the longest time, yet in the end it was always you. When I finally contacted Adda, I told her to take me to you. Obviously the timing wasn't right with my situation. When I found you in the streets, I felt okay again... even if you didn't recognize me..."
"I'm... sorry about that. You look really different."
"Pssh." My eyes rolled. "Live under a rock for eight years and tell me you'd still appear the same."
He chuckled.
Yay!
"Anyways... I don't know how I even got to Adda. I mean, I couldn't send anything until a few days ago. I don't understand how I still had access to the internet."
"He used a blocker. The only way to get a hold of one is to get one made or illegally obtained. It jams the outgoing communication, not some of the incoming. Seriously, maybe a slight chance. You could still view things though."
I raised a brow. "How do you know?"
He shrugged. "I could've been an engineer."
I lost it.
Maybe he could've been an engineer.
Maybe he could've been an unsuccessful YouTuber.
But he didn't.
And I'm happy.
He spent his life trying to help people, which he did. That's all I could ask for. I just wish I could've seen it with a front row seat instead of a nosebleed seat. Literally.
In the end, I shouldn't worry. These guys did well for themselves. I'm really proud. Sadly, it only would've happened if I went missing. Mark wouldn't have been a seriously successful YouTuber and Adda wouldn't be at her status of a cop. I really would've loved to see it all in person.
At least I saw Mark rise up. I have no words to describe my happiness for him. He went from a nobody cared to fangirls are screaming for him to take off his pants.
Through everything, I couldn't be happier.
"Mark?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened to my house back in Cincinnati?"
He tugged the collar of his shirt.
--
Sorry for short chapter yet again.
Keep in mind that I'm winging this story.
And the art video is mine
I changed the privacy but I can give y'all the link.