Laying on the couch in the living room, I play with the ring. I didn't want to take it. I don't want anything to do with Mark. But if I don't want anything to do with him, why do I feel so nervous around him? When he is gone I feel exposed, vulnerable. Like he is my safety. My protection. 

No. I don't need him. He is annoying and all he does is ruin things and make me feel weird. I don't need him, no matter how much he tries to dig his way into my life. Aria might have been friends with him, but I won't.

Waking me from my thoughts, my phone goes off. And again. 

And again.

And again.

How many texts does this person need to send before I reply?

I pick up my phone, and as if karma hates me, it's Mark.

I mutter under my breath and think about what I'm going to do. I can't just let him blow up my phone, but I don't want to respond. Oh hell with it.

I open up his messages.

Mark: Hey.

Mark: We still need to talk

Mark: Come over maybe?

Me: I'm kinda busy...

Mark: Please? We can talk. I just need to talk about... the accident.

Me: Don't you do counseling?

Mark: I did. I'm skipping classes. Nobody gets me. Nobody will get me but you, you were in that car.

I let my fingers hover over my phone. I can't just say no. And the thought of me being the only one who understands makes my stomach flutter.

Why do I always feel like I'm in a haze when I talk to him?

Me: Ok. Omw.

Mark: See you in 10?

Me: Make it 20. My ankle.

Mark: I forgot. Want me to pick you up?

Me: Nope.

Mark: Ok then...

I stand up, pain digging into my ankle. What a way to spend my Saturday.

When I knock on his door, I expect a rough face to open the door, the face of Mark's dad. But when the door actually opens, I'm surprised. Mark opens it almost immediately, and he looks as if he is about to fall apart.

"Hey. C-come on in." He gestures into the house.

I walk in without a word. While I find my way to the living room, I hear him grab some snacks.

Describing his house in 3 words? Surprising me greatly.

When you first walk in, you're welcomed with a smell of a sea breeze. The house is modern and looks quite expensive. Walking through the house, the walls are filled with pictures and memories.

The living room leaves me flabbergasted, more than the rest of the house.

A glimmering chandelier hangs from the roof, welcoming me with bright crystals illuminating the room. The view of a beautiful ocean is showing through big modern windows covering the whole wall.

Grey flowing curtains are pulled to the side of the windows, framing the perfect ocean view. Facing a beautiful fireplace, a couch paired with a loveseat sit. Neat cushions face outwards, inviting me to sit down.

It looks like something you'd see in a movie, a perfect house.

Sitting down, I let my eyes wander for Mark. He comes in carrying a bowl of snacks.

He looks like he is debating on sitting next to me on the loveseat but decides against it.

I can't handle this awkwardness, so I cut to the chase. "You wanted to talk?" I raise an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

"Wow. You don't beat around the bush."

His attitude makes me want to shoot myself in the face.

"No, I don't. I would like to be relaxing on the couch and chilling with my brother," A lie. "but you 'needed to talk'. So what is it?" I pick up a Snickers Bar, ignoring my mind when it says not to eat it.

"It's about your brother."

With a mouth full of chocolate I say, "Oh really?" My voice is flat, showing him I don't care.

"Yes, it is. I know what happened to Kaylee." I don't even stop my jaw from falling.

"Yeah? We all do. She fell." I can't even- How could he know? Does he know the truth?

Mark sighs. "Aria, your brother... killed her."

I act to be surprised and widen my eyes. "No he didn't... there isn't any way he could've-" Might as well pretend to disagree with him.

"He did. I was there, in the park. I was taking a walk through the woods and I saw him hurt her... I saw her die." His voice breaks and I can't help but believe him.

"Why didn't you do anything?" Now that I believe him, I realize he could've saved me. "You could've saved her! Now she is dead and her family is mourning! You caused this, you might as well help kill her!" My mouth is curled up in a snarl, and I have a new level of hate to this man.

The pain in his eyes makes me feel bad, but I don't take it back. "You don't think I know that? You don't think I know that she would be here if I hadn't been an idiot? Thank you for reminding me about the thing that is slowly killing me every single day!"

I jump out of the seat, throwing the half-eaten Snickers Bar back into the bowl. "Whatever. I'm out." As I walk out, he doesn't chase after me. And all I can do is wonder how he was walking through the woods if he was in that crash.