Chapter 9

The smile on my face felt foreign. I felt like I had made a complete one-eighty compared to yesterday and the days before. I was in high hopes that everything would work out in my favor. My heart had forgiven Marcus instantly, but my mind told me to pace myself. I needed to make sure I was mentally prepared for anything and everything. I didn't even know what I was prepping for. I just felt that I needed to be prepared for whatever may come.

I knew my plans of not falling for a boy were now put on the back burner. I wanted to be with Marcus. I had never felt like this before in my life. I suppose that was what I was preparing myself for; a relationship. I've never been in one. I wouldn't even know how they work. Dates are not my strong suit. Nothing sensual really is, mostly factual and

realistic things were important to me.

School was back to normal. I could focus on my studies a bit more. My mind wasn't as foggy. The random thoughts of being in his arms sent chills down my spine and made my toes curl. I bared most of the day wearing a small smile for only myself, not anyone else.

Jen noticed a significant difference in how I was acting compared to yesterday. "You seem better." She spoke with a hint of sarcasm.

"Yeah. I wasn't feeling too well yesterday. I was a bit cranky from it as well." I lied.

"Oh yeah? Is that why you fled two minutes after Marcia sat down? Look, I know you don't like her, but if you just give her a chance, she really is-"

"She kissed Marcus." I blurted out. I hated when she stuck up for her to me.

"She what?!" Obviously Marcia hadn't let her in on the latest gossip.

"Yep. After I took you out to the car he went back inside to see if you had left anything. She told him you did and pretended to lead him to wherever you left your crap and then kissed him. I walked in right as she did it." I tried to explain without sounding to cynical, but failed.

"Wow. I can't believe she would keep this from me." She sounded hurt.

"Is that REALLY all you care about?! Not the fact that she kissed your best friend's new boyfriend? Wow. Okay." She was unbelievable. I couldn't believe this was her main concern.

"Well, no. I-"

"Just forget it, Jen. I see where I stand with our friendship. You are unbelievable, and all this time I thought that you were my best friend! Looks like I'm the stupid one. God, how could I be so naive?!" I interrupted her before she could even get started.

"Alex-" She started to beg.

"I said forget it! You're just like all the other girls. Tell me, was it all an act to make me look foolish? 'Oh, let's pull a little prank on the poor little girl that is an absolute nobody because she doesn't gossip about people like we do!' Is that how it went? Was it your idea or Marcia's? You don't have to pretend with me anymore. Just leave me alone. You're just like them, and here I was thinking you truly were different!" My anger started to boil over and I knew that if I didn't put a cap on it I would do something I really regret.

"That's not what happened at all! We are friends, Alex! You're my best friend. Please, don't do this." She started to get red with embarrassment. Everyone started to stare as my voice rose.

"'Friends?' No. I am not your best friend. If I was, you would have been more concerned about how what she did effected me and Marcus, not how she didn't gossip about it with you! I expected you to have my back, and instead you pull this crap! You're a real piece of work, Jen."

"Well, at least people like me and want to be around me!" She shouted back.

"I'm not fake that's why people don't hang out with me! I don't talk about people behind their backs! I act like myself. Not you or Marcia or anyone! I'm me, but you are so many different people I don't know which face I'm going to see whenever someone comes around!"

She didn't say anything back. I knew I had gotten to her. She just turned around a walked away with tears running down her face. She had shown where her priorities lie and I had shown her that I won't let her walk all over me and treat me like I wasn't important. After that, I went home. I tried to cry. I had just lost my best friend.

My emotions had been on a roller coaster over the past few days. I tried crying for hours. I wanted to. I wanted to feel something. I didn't, though. I went completely numb again. I didn't have anyone to talk to.

You could talk to Marcus.

"No, I can't bother Marcus with this." I spoke out loud. "It isn't something that he needs to brought into. I'm sure he has more important things to deal with." I replied to my conscience.

"Bother me with what?" I snapped my head up and saw him standing in the middle of my room.

"N-Nothing. Just a bit of a predicament, that's all." I tried smiling, but my eyes started to tear up as I looked up at him.

"This isn't just a predicament, Darling. What is it? You can tell me anything." He sat on my bed next to me and pulled me into a hug.

"Jen and I got into an argument and now we are no longer friends. All because I decided to open my mouth and say what I thought for once." The tears started to flow heavily over my cheeks.

"What did you say?"

"I told her what happened and she said that she couldn't believe Marcia would keep something like that from her. She was more concerned about how they didn't gossip about me and you than how it made me feel. So I said a lot of things I shouldn't have."

He lifted my chin with his finger so I was looking him in the eye. "You should never feel like you aren't allowed to voice how you feel and your opinions. You are important. You're feelings are important. Never let anyone tell you any different. Okay?"

"Okay," I nodded my head and tried to smile a little at him.

"You're even prettier when you cry." He said, wiping the tears off my cheeks with his thumbs.

"How?" I scrunched my face up in confusion.

"Because that's when you're the most honest about who you are and how you feel." He smiled at me, looking me in the eyes.

"Marcus?"

"Yes, my princess?" He continued to stroke my cheek with

his thumb.

"Why me?" I asked.

After a few moments of silence he started to answer, "Because you are very, very special. The gods chose you to come into my life because they knew how amazing you were and that nobody could ever resist falling for you, even me."

"You're one to talk." I muttered under my breath.

"What do you mean?" He responded with a laugh.

"I mean that you are the most drop dead handsome guy I have ever set eyes on. I had plans not to fall for anyone and get into a relationship. I was so focused on school and I wasn't going to let some pretty face distract me, but here I am, getting distracted!" I haven't ever told Marcus that. I prayed he didn't laugh at me for saying something so stupid.

"You think I'm handsome, huh?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, I do. Now, stop mocking me with that smirk and those pretty grey eyes of yours. You know, just because you bat your eyelashes at me doesn't mean I'm going to give into you all the time." I said sarcastically.

"Oh, is that so?" He said with an even more taunting smirk plastered on his lips.

"Yes, really!" I said as he crawled over me.

"So, if I bat my eyelashes and ask to have a kiss you won't give me one?" He asked, hovering over me, all of his weight resting on his arms.

"Well, maybe just this once I'll let it slide." I answered, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Hmm, that's what I was hoping you would say." He smiled before leaning down and kissing me.