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Mark stood beside Toni's locker, waiting impatiently for her. "Who could she be with?" he asked himself for about the hundredth time. Just then he heard a familiar voice calling out to him, and he smiled and anticipated seeing his best friend. He turned around and his heart-warming smile dissolved, as he saw Toni with HIM, whoever he was. "Hi Mark!" she said, giving him a hug. "Where were you? How come you didn't wait for me in the cafeteria?" he demanded, not returning her friendly hug. "Well, excuse me, hello to you too Mark." she said softly. Toni had never seen Mark so disappointed and angry before. "I'm so sorry I forgot. And I thought you weren't going to class 'coz you told me to go on ahead without you if you weren't there within 30 minutes." Toni said, feeling quite embarrassed. "Ha! You 'forgot' to wait coz you were too wrapped up talking to this guy!" Mark wanted to say, giving the lad a once over glance. "By the way, this is Patrick. He's from our chem. class. Patrick, meet my best friend, Mark." Toni said. "Hi!" Patrick greeted him, extending his hand. Mark didn't take it. He just shoved his hands further into the pockets of his pants. He acknowledged Patrick by just giving him a nod. Toni faced Patrick and said, "I'll see you tomorrow... It was nice meeting you." "It was my pleasure." Patrick said. Toni was taken by surprise when Patrick took her hand and kissed it. No one ever does that nowadays and no one ever did that to her before. Mark rolled his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow." Toni repeated, her voice shaking a bit. She was as red as a tomato. Patrick waved goodbye and sauntered off. "What's your problem?" Toni faced Mark, slamming her locker door shut after getting some things. "Oh! What is my problem she asks! No, what is YOUR problem?" Mark shot back." I already apologized to you! I really didn't think you would show up," Toni said walking rapidly. "And I can't believe how rude you were! I've never seen you like this before Mark." she added. They were walking toward the park, they didn't notice it but it was almost automatic for both of them. It would come naturally for them after hanging out there every afternoon. Toni sat at the branch of the tree, not looking at Mark. She was so angry at him she could've punched him. She felt so frustrated just like Mark but she didn't know why. Mark crossed his arms and just stood there. "Well, I'm sorry for being angry coz you didn't wait for me!" Mark answered angrily. "That's it? That's why you're so angry? I can't believe you! Well, your highness," Toni said getting up on her feet and doing a mock curtsy at Mark, "I'm so sorry for being so imperfect that I forgot to wait for you." Toni said. "You know what? You are such an immature flirt!" he shouted. Toni was shocked. She slapped him so hard it left a huge red mark on his face. "You do not know me that much to judge me Mark Feehily." she said, trying to control her voice from breaking. At that she turned around, walking steadily with her head high, even if her heart was being crushed to pieces.
"Why in the world did I say that?" Mark thought. He suddenly felt the impact of Toni's hand on his face after he let slip those cruel words that he didn't mean to say. Words that he knew weren't true at all. He watched her walk away. He felt paralyzed and shocked and he couldn't do anything to stop her. After a few minutes, he turned around and walked toward his house. He arrived and saw that no one was home. Grabbing his father's car keys, he took the car for a spin. He knew he would get told off once he gets home, but he didn't care. He felt as if everything was already going bad, and things could never get much worse. He just drove in circles around town. Everywhere he looked, he could remember being with Toni. How he felt secure and wanted when he was with her. How her eyes danced when she laughed at something he said. How her short brown hair bounced when they would go running along the park. How soft her skin felt when she held him close whenever he needed a shoulder to cry on. He went home, still finding an empty house. He locked his room and turned on the cd player. He laid himself on the bed. Even in his room he couldn't escape the thought of his best friend. He could remember the times when they would do their homework on the floor and his dog would come crashing in on them. He could also remember watching tv or talking for hours. His cd player even had Toni's disc on, which was 702's album. They sang "Where My Girls At" and Toni really likes them. It was one of her favorite bands. He couldn't figure out why he was really angry with her, and hurt as well as disappointed all at the same time. Realization suddenly hit him like a giant tidal wave. Of course he wasn't angry at her for just not waiting for him. That was such a small thing to fight over about. He wasn't angry at all. He laughed. "How could I have been so stupid? So BLIND?" he thought. He was jealous. He didn't realize that he had fallen in love with her over the past two months that they shared. Just then, the song "Seven" was played. "Seven whole days, and seven whole nights, it's not much time, to make you mine... Seven whole days and seven whole nights, to make you see, you should be loving me..." Mark sang along. He smiled wryly to himself. How ironic. There was one week to go before Kian's party and he had a gnawing feeling that if he didn't act soon, she would eventually go to that party with that Patrick fellow. And he would lose her to Patrick forever. |
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