Page 126 of Mark

“Freya?” Danny calls, his fingers tightening on my arms.

I glance up, fighting back tears as I knock his hands away. I’m not sure if it’s the alcohol, or that the walls I built around my heart are no longer there, but it’s like years of hurt are finally hitting me.

“What happened? Did that guy hurt you?”

Of course that is what he’d think.

He cups my cheek, searching my gaze. “Should I get your sister and parents?”

For a moment, I feel like I have my friend from school back. But then I remember everything he has done and caused. How his actions caused a momentous change in my life. The reminder brings me back to the present and I push his hands away. “Did you ever care about what your relationship with my sister would do to me? And I don’t mean in the sense that I’m your ex-girlfriend. I’m talking about what it would do to my relationship with my sister, my parents, or about what people would say to me or about me behind my back? Was your goal all along to isolate me from them? Was it all just a game to punish me?”

“Honestly?” When I nod, he continues. “At first, I thought it would hurt you like you hurt me. But that’s not why I got with your sister. I love her, and I will do anything to make her happy. I can’t help how others feel.”

“But you could have put them straight. You could have done a lot of things, but instead, you watched as I withdrew more and more from everyone. None of you did anything to help me. Hell, people are hating me for what you two did tome. I didn’t break up with you. I didn’t make it difficult for you two to be together.Iwasn’t the one who cheated. Yet people will happily burn me at the stake for just being your ex, like I’m the one who did you wrong.”

“Is this why you are upset?” he asks. “I thought we were over this.”

He really doesn’t get it. I never expected him to. He never did before. Yet it still feels like it’s his fault. Maybe not entirely his; everyone played their own part. But I’m the only one, after all these years, who is still suffering from the fallout.

“So did I, but when you hear people shit-talking about you in the bathroom, it makes a girl re-evaluate the situation. So go back to my family and tell them the next time my name enterstheir mouths, to make sure I’m there first, since no one has my back anymore,” I snap, sniffling.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Mark asks, stepping up beside me. He sees my face, and his jaw locks as he wraps an arm around my shoulder. Breathing in his cologne settles something inside of me. “What did you say to her?”

Danny holds his hands up. “Nothing. I asked if she was okay.”

Mark snorts. “Really? You sure you weren’t hanging around here to get some alone time?”

“If you have to worry about anyone still having feelings, you’re asking the wrong person. I’m not the one still hanging onto the past.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Mark snaps.

“You know what,” I growl as I glance to Danny. “For someone so smart you can be so fucking stupid. That wasn’t what I was getting at and you know it. So thank you for asking if I was okay, but from now on just leave me the fuck alone.” I look up at Mark when Danny leaves with a huff. “I’m heading back to my room. Will you tell your family I’m sorry for skipping out, for me?”

“I’ll come with you,” he assures me.

“Mark, it’s fine. Don’t let me ruin your night, and no offence, but I’m really not in the mood for sex.”

His lips tighten. “If you’re under the impression I only want you for sex, then you aren’t paying close enough attention. I would have thought you knew me better than that.”

I close my eyes, letting my head fall forward. “I’m sorry.”

He takes my hand. “Come on, let’s go back to your room.”

*** *** ***

Mark is lying on the bed when I walk out the bathroom after my shower. One hand is cocked behind his head, his focus on the television until he notices me.

“Feel better?”

Much. It’s also sobered me up a little. “Much.”

He pats the bed beside him. “Come watch Spiderman with me.”

“Which one?” I question, arching an eyebrow.

“Duh, the one with Andrew Garfield in of course.”

I smile as I flop down next to him. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the storylines in Tom Holland’s version, but I love Andrew’s more. Tobey reminds me of a…”

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