Page 38 of Revealing Mark
While I got my stuff and carried it down to my car, I tried to pinpoint why I felt so betrayed by Mark. Deep down I knew itwasn’t only because he was about to rat me out to my brother, it was more than that. I couldn’t exactly be mad at him for not being the person I wanted him to be. He wasn’t the same guy I had fantasized about. No, he was nothing like the guy who had loved me back in my daydreams.
It was probably my own fault for having unrealistic expectations from the crush I had developed for him.
Finally, when all my stuff was out of his apartment, I took one last look around to make sure I hadn’t left anything behind. I didn’t want to have to go back for any reason.
On my way out, I lingered for a few minutes in the doorway, remembering our brief kiss in the kitchen. And then with a heavy heart I closed the door.
I found it difficult to concentrate on anything when I got back to my place. I didn’t even have the energy to sort out my equipment, instead I left them in the boxes in the guest room. Feeling flat and tired, I slumped down on the sofa. I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to get a grip on the negative feelings I was experiencing.
I tried not to think about Mark, my brother, or the upcoming hissy fit my brother would be throwing. Instead I focused on the fact that I hadn’t heard a peep out of Jack, which meant he had gotten the message.
Knowing I had to keep myself busy, I tried to focus on my photo shoot for the next day. I got the equipment I needed and put it to one side so I wouldn’t be late.
When my phone rang, I knew it was Sophie.
“What’s going on?” she asked bluntly. She knew me so well.
“I wasn’t in the mood for games.”
“What’s really going on?”
Silence fell.
“I told Mark I wasn’t going to let him blackmail me into staying with him.”
“Really?” she gasped.
“Yeah. It was too much.”
“Why? What happened?”
I bit my lip as I contemplated telling her everything. She was the only person I opened up to about my problems.
“He is so secretive,” I began. “He doesn’t like to talk about anything, really. His family is off limits.”
I waited for Sophie to respond. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
“He would leave late at night and return in the early hours of the morning without any explanation.”
“He’s just a private person.”
I frowned. Why didn’t it bug Sophie as much as it clearly bugged me? Because she wasn’t in love with him, my mind piped up.
“It was depressing realizing he wasn’t the same person I fell in love with.” I paused, feeling the impact of saying it out loud.
“Why do you say that?” she asked softly.
Walking over to my window, I looked out to see the sun begin to set.
“I realized I don’t know anything about him. And he knows everything about me, even how I take my coffee.”
“Does that really make a difference?”
“I’m not sure what you mean?”
“You fell for the guy he is, not what his parents are like or if he has a big family or not. None of that matters.”
I leaned against the wall and found myself unable to argue with her. Was she right?
