For OutgoingLoner_7

Blinking furiously, I wondered when he came back. Marcus Doubledown was my best friend till his parents divorced and left him with no choice but to transfer to a prestige school for boys down south. His eyes shifted for a second as a smile grew wider and wider on his lips till it looked painful. Swiftly, he got up, brushed the dirt of his black jeans and offered me a hand. I rejected his hand; he never said goodbye to me when he left thus to my judgement, he didn't deserve to help me.

Rolling his eyes at my petty behaviour, he pulled me up to my feet anyways, as though I was as light as a feather.

It's been eight years since I've been saving people. When I was younger, my mother used to help me with her car but then we had to sell it so Clementine could go to her school of choice. My mother would always let me do the talking, she used to say that it's easier to tell strangers your problems so I should always be a stranger to people. I never dared to make friends when Marcus left, I took a vow to be a stranger. I didn't know how to comfort Marcus, or approach him on the matter of his problems because I knew him inside out.

"Why did you pull me like that? I almost had a heart attack." The Marcus I remember loved to exaggerate things, he loved English lessons because he could use hyperbole without getting into trouble. "Felvan?"

"Ahh yes." I must have forgotten to reply. "Because.... You were going to jump." Whoever or whatever gave me my powers might as well strip me off it since I was doing a horrendous job. "I was saving you?" I didn't know why it sounded like a question.

He had on a peculiar expression that I recall being his you-must-be-out-of-your-mind face. "And why on earth would I jump? Do I look like a coward?"

"It's not the cowards who jump," I sighed, "it's the ones who want to feel something other than pain, and a coward rather not feel anything." I shouldn't have said that.  It wasn't my turn to discuss my philosophies, it was his to vent.

Nodding along to my words he added. "Well then, I guess you're right, but why would you think I was going to jump?"

Because I have a 'gift' that makes sure that I suffer knowing the knowledge of who's going to kill themselves next.

I found myself laughing a little before answering. "It's in your eyes. The eye can't lie."

"The eye can't lie." He mimicked me better than what I sound like. "Whatever you say but I was only sightseeing." He seemed angry out of the blue but I didn't want to prod. "I have a great life, great friends, great family and an awesome life."

Validation. It was all in his words, he was searching for validation. According to the situation, the best thing to do would've been to take him home and as far as possible from there instead of questioning what he uttered.

"Come on, I'll take you home."

"I said I'm fine!" His sudden outburst threw me of guard. The fire in his eyes dissipated quickly as he apologised meekly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scream at you, I just didn't like the fact that you thought I'd jump off this cliff and end my life in the matter of seconds."

"I'm sorry too," I chose to give in. "I shouldn't have speculated but please let me make up to you and take you home."

"Felvan," I liked how he said my name with oomph to the 'n', it sounded like a musical note. His wistful eyes seemed so wise. "I missed you."

I missed you too.

I missed him so much more. He was my limb so when he ripped himself off me, he left a bleeding wound that I could never seal. I was still bleeding inside. Insidiously and slowly, they say, internal bleeding kills people.

"Are you still going to take me home?"

Ahh yes, I almost forgot he was still there. "Yeah, follow me."

"Aargh." I screeched. A jolt of pain shot up my leg.

"Oh god, are you dead already? Was I that heavy?!" Marcus gushed. I was in pain but I couldn't hold back the laughter. "Fuck, your laughing."

Immediately, I glared at him. "If you swear ever again I will rip your tongue out."

Fudgykins, don't say such harsh things, Felvan.

Marcus guffawed like a hyena. Was I that amusing? I didn't know what was so funny.

"Sure, mother Felvan." He joked. "Come here, let me help you." He crouched down for me. "Remember when you carried me home from Sommerset Park? It's my turn to repay the favour."

Sommerset Park was the world's most boring park with hardly anything to play with yet Marcus managed to trip on a can that he littered. Karma plays beautiful games.

Shamelessly I hopped on like a giddy child and allowed him to walk back to the opening with my directions. Dad was right, we were olives but we didn't need spices and peppers or even memories, we needed tangible connections that reminded us what warmth was.

"There's the car." I pointed out Nick's car enthusiastically. Marcus probably didn't remember Nick, he had changed a lot.

"Who the heck is that in your car?" Marcus inquired. Like a devil, I hung on his back quietly without saying anything.

"Marcus Doubledown?" Nick approached us but stopped walking when he realised Marcus was coming anyways. He was a pot of emotions, curios, shocked, happy and something else that I couldn't quite point out. Was it disappointment or was he hurt?

Marcus opened the car door for me and lifted me into the seat.

"I know these looks give me a superstar kind of shining but who are you, mate?" Typical, boastful Marcus had surfaced. "And what are you doing in Felvan's car."

Nick glanced at me so I gave him an apologetic smile to which he returned. Was he not just the sweetest thing?

Nick shoved his hands in his pockets, he looked proud of the moment. "Marcus, it's me Nick."

Click. The clogs were spinning in Marcus's head, I could see it from the way he scratched his head.

"Nick as in... Nicholas Steward?" The bomb had exploded! Marcus was indeed flabbergasted. "Shit, man, when did you get so tall and... look at those broad shoulders." I watched the two babble about years' worth of conversations.

It was true, Nick was like a binge worthy series that one would want to cherish and rewatch every day. Things fell into place once again, Marcus was back, he was my twin and he completed me.

I've always wanted to have an elder brother, when I looked at Marcus, I knew I didn't have to look further.

I closed the door and waited for them to join me which they soon did.

"Let's all go for ice cream, my treat." Nick offered kindly.

Marcus shook his head. "Hospital first."

Hospital? Why on earth would we go to the hospital? I didn't like hospitals, they were banks in the name of healthcare and loved robbing people. At the mention of hospitals I was suddenly worried about mother. Her appointment was coming up and they were never good.

"Felvan's leg needs some treatment." My blood went cold and the sun seemed to make no attempt in warming me.

"No!" I howled. "I'm fine." I added to calm myself. A bag of ice would do and I couldn't miss another day of work.

"Quit whining and strap in." Marcus scolded me like I wished my mother would.

I didn't have the money to spend at the hospital and if I used my savings, we'd fall in the danger zone. Chewing on my lips I dropped into a worrisome trance where bills was all I could see.

—❤︎—

Marcus of Nick? Hehe I told I was a devil.

I'm too sleepy to continue the chapter which is why it's a bit short XD

When you see this, comment #potofemotions