Bitter yet Sweet

Chapter five

M A R K

I didn't know, but it felt like I was rejected. Why am I even trying so hard for him to like me? Was it because he was so hard to tame? I looked like a zombie when I walked back to the house.

After I showered I opened my laptop and browsed an online shop. I didn't know why I was so stubborn. I think that was the only character I inherited from my mom—stubbornness.

I heard a knock from the door and I opened it to see dad grinning.

"Hey!" I greeted.

"Only hey? After the first time seeing your dad from his one week trip away from home?" He said sulking and I rolled my eyes secretly.

"I know, I'm a bad son, dad." Dad chuckled and opened his arms and I hugged him. "Welcome home."

"I know you're not that bad of a son, Mark." He said after the hug.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." We both laughed. I miss this kind of moments with dad. He was my superhero when I was a kid. He really spoiled me.

"Have you contacted Maurer?" Dad asked.

Maurer was the name of my big brother. Yes, I am not an only son. And this Maurer was out of town because of his work, he's an engineer.

"No." I said nonchalantly and dad sighed. Maurer and I were not that close during our childhood days. He often bullied me and glared at me like a s**t. I didn't know why until I reached fifth grade. He was simply insecure. I was the one who were insecure at him. He was a genius. The good son. And me? I was just me. And he was insecure to a nobody. Oh, maybe because I was more handsome than him. Maybe that was it.

"Did you had a fight?" He asked.

"What? No!" We didn't, it's true but we weren't getting along since I didn't know when.

"Won't you contact him?"

"Yeah, maybe later, I think?" I twisted the knob of my door. "I have something to do." And slipped inside my room and laid down on my bed. I didn't had a reason to contact him anyway, so why bother?

***

T H O M A S

I felt so down ever since I. . . shout at him? I wanted to apologize to him? Why would I? But my conscience wouldn't stop and made me feel quiet inside. Was I too rude at him? Yes, I were! I face palmed. It has been a day already and miraculously, he hadn't came there. It wasn't like I had been waiting or expecting him to came for me. He said it, that he wouldn't stop and he would came everyday. I think he was one of those men who wouldn't keep their words.

Now I was pissed.

I saw Emily left the house from my room's window. She was tapping at her phone while grinning. How suspicious.

I went to the living room and turned the tv on and threw myself at the sofa. I just stare at the movie that was playing at the screen. I jumped from the sofa when Emily came in from the front door.

"Where did you go?" I asked her.

"I went to aunt Tiffany's." She said and threw a small blue rectangular box at me and I caught it.

"What's this?" I raised the box. "And why were you there?" They're close with Mark's mom already?

"The i***t said that that is for you." She pointed at the box and she went to the kitchen.

I was left wondering. i***t? Does he mean Mark? Why would he gave me a box?

"Just open it!" Emily whispered from my ear and I could smell something.

"You smell like pizza." She chuckled.

"Yea, they had pizza and gave me. It was delicious." She emphasized the last word and I rolled my eyes and went to my room after turning the tv off.

My heart was pounding while looking at the blue box and my hands were also trembling while I lift its cover. I was stunned of what I saw. It was a new white, expensive that I was pretty sure I couldn't afford a pro-digital camera.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed. I fought myself from not touching it. I had been dreaming to own one and I was one move away from that dream but I couldn't. . . I wouldn't. I would give that back to Mark. I didn't want him to owe me. But it was his fault why I lost my cam. I slowly closed the box and walked out of the house.

***

I stopped and looked in awe at a gray and melon orange two story house. My heart was beating and I didn't know why. I would just gave that box back at him and done. I pressed the doorbell before I changed my mind and coward.

My heart was pounding when the front double doors opened slightly and Mrs. Foxwayler came out. Disappointment crept on my heart. Was I expecting Mark to open the door? O, s**t, I was!

"Thomas!" I heard Tiffany said as she approached me.

"Good day, Mrs. Foxwayler."

"O, c'mon!" She rolled her eyes. "Cut the formal s**t and call me Tiffany." She smiled. I was surprised at her choice of words. "You're here to see Mark?"

I felt some butterflies in my stomach when I heard his name. Was I that nervous to face him?

I nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Fo—Tiffany." She smiled and guided me inside her house.

It was spacious and cozy and something smells good. Tiffany pointed to the right.

"Mark is at the back yard. Walk and you'll see a glass door, I have to attend my cake, darling." She said and turned left which I bet was the kitchen.

I was left wondering and lost. I started shuffling my feet until I reached the glass door that Tiffany was talking. The first thing that caught my attention was the glimmering water from the pool and the man who was laying down on a foldable and bendable black chair. I wasn't sure it he was awake or asleep.

But I was hoping that he was asleep so that I could execute my mission flawlessly. I pushed the glass door while my heart was pounding inside my chest and it made a noise. Gladly he didn't woke up. He was breathing normally and therefore I conclude that he was sleeping.

I walked slowly, closer to a round glass table where his phone and a cup of coffee half drank was placed and put the box slowly, trying not to make a sound when I heard Tiffany talked and I dropped the box that made an enough for Mark to wake up thudding sound but luckily, he was still sleeping like a log.

"Do I have to wake Mark up, Thomas?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "I mean, you don't have to Tiffany. He looked so tired."

"He had a fever since yesterday night. The last time I remembered he caught one was when he was still high school where he stood under the rain outside his ex's house. He was closed to convulsing but he still stayed hoping for that b***h to came back at him." She said I felt bad. I alsi felt something. . . guilt. I was the reason why he caught a fever and I also felt jealous over that b***h. "Now I remembered that b***h! O! It made me want to pull her hair." I was startled when she clapped her hands, changing her mood. "How about some cake, Thomas?"

I glanced at Mark who was still sleeping. "Sure."

***