Falling From Life

8

          After the little pep talk Brianna gave me I pull my brush out of my bag and take care of my wild mess of hair while making sure my makeup still looked ok. I shouldn't have put my head on the table like that. Ow. I rub over my now slightly bloody bandage lightly and wince a little. I'll have to have dad change that for me later. I put all my things back in my bag and go back to the cafeteria, when I sit back at the table I get a look from Viviann and an eyebrow wiggle from Brianna. I roll my eyes at her.

          "As I was saying," I realize that Jacob had been talking so I tuned him out and put my head back down. There was no point in me coming back out here. I feel a hand on my shoulder, that ain't Viv... I look up and see Mark looking right at me. The table was silent, at least it seemed that way, and he raised an eyebrow at me.

          "Are you ok?" He asked, "You seem quiet." I smiled at him and just as I was about to answer, I noticed him look at my head where my bandage is. My smile fell and I tried to use my hair to cover it, he looked concerned. "What happened?"

          Now the table was actually silent, everyone else knew. "My mother." I respond to him, it sounds a bit colder than I was meaning it to. His face changes and I feel bad, but I realize it's my words that made him act that way, not the way I said them. He shakes his head then looks at me again, a hint of anger in his eyes.

          "People like her don't deserve to have children, especially ones as wonderful a person as you are." He looks down at the table and I feel like there's more meaning behind his words. I rub his shoulder a little to let him know I understand.

           "You should see my sisters." I glance at everyone else at the table and they resume their conversations. Suddenly I'm nervous again, as if him and I are alone. This is gonna be a bad decision on my part. "Would you like to go to the library? It'll be quieter there." He nods and smiles again, I'd die for that smile.

          "That'd be lovely, actually." He said. I grab my bag and kiss Viv on the cheek.

          "We'll be in the library if you need me, my head hurts here." She smiles and nods, going right back to the conversation she was having with Jacob. She didnt hear a word I said, I smile and walk with Mark to the library.

          We walk in silence the whole way there. He opens the door for me and we sit at a table in the very back so no one could overhear us. "No offence," he says, startling me, "but your mom seems like kind of a bitch." I laugh, which hurt but I didn't care.

           "That's an understatement." He seems intrigued.

          "Is it?" He raises his eyebrow again and leans forward across the table, whispering now, "how bad does it get for you?" I notice a scar going down from his hairline to his cheek, barely missing his eye. How did I miss that before? It wasn't a big, ugly scar, it shows just enough to see it.

          "She used to throw rocks at me, now she smacks me around and throws me down stairs." I point to my bandage. "She's tried to kill me a few times too, but, hey, I'm still here aren't I?." I say looking down at the table. He balls his hands into fists and I hear him exhale.

          "My dad's the sa- was the same way." I look up at him, he seems genuinely pissed, "I had his ass thrown in jail few years ago." I put my hand on one of his fists and he looked up into my eyes.

          "If you don't mind me asking-

          "The scar? I don't mind" he smiles at me again, "I was fixing my motorcycle up, dad was drunk and just got rejected for like the fourth time that week. He came into the garage and started using me as a punching bag 'til I fought back. The scar is from his smashed beer bottle." He rubs over it absentmindedly looking a little sad.

          "I'm sorry. People shouldn't have to go through any of this. No one should, I don't care how good or bad they are. But look at it this way, you have a badass scar that could attract all the ladies." I wiggle my eyebrows at him making him laugh.

          We change the topic for the rest of lunch. We laugh and talk up until the bell rings, we swap numbers, and go our separate ways.

          Hey you

          I smile and text him back.

          Hey, what's up?

          Wanna meet up later? Idk where I just wanna see u again.. plus i dont wanna go home, its lonely. :(

          Sure, what if we go to Steak and Shake?

          Love that place! I'm down lol, I'll see you there.

          See ya!

          It's not a date, Stephanie, calm down. I'm too excited to listen to myself. I've got to tell Viviann.