Marcus

"And?" I ask Jason, leaning forward in my chair, my fingers drumming anxiously on the table.

Jason shrugs, his expression nonchalant. "That's it," he replies casually.

"Fuck," I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

Jason has just finished recounting what went down yesterday between Melanie and Daniel. My skin crawled as he described Daniel's attempt to kiss Melanie on the lips and his clingy hug goodbye. It's like nails on a chalkboard, hearing about another man's touch on her.

"Don't worry, man," Jason says, trying to reassure me. "Evie told me there's no way Melanie is getting back together with Daniel."

"How can Evie be so sure?" I ask, my brow furrowing with concern.

Jason shrugs again. "Melanie said so," he replies. "And Evie's been trying to brainwash her at every opportunity."

I manage a small smile, but the worry still gnaws at the pit of my stomach. "Yeah, well, I hope she is right," I say, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Come on, lighten up," Jason says, clapping me on the back.

I nod, forcing myself to relax, if only for a moment. "Yeah," I reply with a sigh. "When all of this is over."

Jason nods, his grin widening. "Evie's a genius, man," he says enthusiastically. "She suggested that Melanie contact Daniel's therapist."

A smirk tugs at my lips. "So, Evie is a genius, huh?" I remark, feeling a flicker of amusement despite my unease.

Jason chuckles, nodding in agreement. "Yes, a fucking-hot genius," he confirms with a laugh.

I can't help but chuckle along with him, the tension easing slightly. "Seems like you found a girl interesting enough for a relationship."

Jason's grin widens. "Thank God for that," he says with a laugh. "And Evie seems interested in me too."

I reach out and clap my hand firmly on Jason's shoulder, offering him a genuine smile. "I'm happy for you, man," I say sincerely, my voice filled with warmth.

Jason grins back at me, his eyes alight with excitement. "Thanks, Marcus," he replies. "Soon, we'll be out with our ladies, getting drinks, and then home, getting nasty."

I chuckle at his enthusiasm, shaking my head in amusement. "I certainly hope so," I remark, my tone playful.

Before I can say anything else, the waitress approaches our table, gathering up the empty bottles. "Another round?" she asks.

I glance at my watch, realizing that it's getting late. "No, thank you," I reply politely, offering the waitress a grateful smile. "We should probably be heading out soon."

Jason nods in agreement, already starting to gather his belongings. "Yeah, I agree," he says, his tone eager. "It's been a long day."

After settling the tab, we stand up from our table and make our way towards the exit. The cool night air greets us as we step outside, the bustling sounds of the city filling the air.

As we walk down the sidewalk, I turn to Jason, a question nagging at the back of my mind. "When is Melanie's going to call Daniel's therapist?"

Jason shrugs, a hint of uncertainty in his expression. "I don't know," he admits. "But I'm sure she'll do it soon."

I nod, processing his response. "Okay," I say simply. "I'll text Evie and find out."

After saying our goodnights, Jason heads off in one direction, and I hop onto my motorcycle, the engine roaring to life beneath me. The cool wind whips against my face, clearing my mind as I navigate the empty streets.

Arriving outside my house, I cut the engine but make no move to go inside. Instead, I cross the front yard and settle onto the bench on the patio. With a sigh, I pull out my phone, my fingers fumbling nervously over the screen.

A burning desire to text Melanie consumes me, but uncertainty holds me back. I open the texting app, fingers hovering over the keys as I wrestle with my emotions. Each word I type feels inadequate, erased and rewritten in a futile attempt to reach out to Melanie. I really need to talk to her.

Finally, I settle on a simple message, my heart laid bare in the text. "I know you need time, and I respect that," I type, my thumbs moving almost mechanically. "But I just wanted you to know...I miss you. So fucking much."

With a shaky breath, I press send, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. I set the phone down beside me, resigned to the fact that I may not receive a response.

Soon enough, the phone buzzes next to me, breaking the stillness of the night. My heart leaps with anticipation as I reach for it, only to deflate with disappointment when I see Adam's name flashing on the screen.

I answer the call, Adam's voice coming through the phone with a casual greeting. "Hey man, how are you?" he asks.

I let out a weary sigh. "You know, same old," I reply.

"Yeah, I thought so," he says understandingly. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm managing," I answer vaguely. "How about you and Mallory?"

Adam's voice carries a hint of cheerfulness. "We're good," he replies. "But we haven't heard from you, and we were wondering if you found out if it was indeed Melanie that night at Daniel's apartment."

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose, the memories flooding back with painful clarity. "Yeah, it was Melanie," I admit, my voice heavy with resignation.

There's a brief moment of silence on the other end of the line before Adam speaks again. "I'm sorry, man," he says softly, his sympathy evident.

I open my eyes, meeting the darkness of the night sky above me. "Nothing happened," I assure him, though the words taste bitter on my tongue. "Daniel was drunk and called Melanie to get him home."

Adam lets out a frustrated sigh. "What an asshole," he mutters under his breath.

I can't help but agree. "Tell me about it," I mumble in response.

There's a pause, and then Adam speaks again, his voice tinged with relief. "I'm glad that's all it was, though," he says sincerely.

I nod, even though he can't see me. "Yeah," I agree quietly.

"Have you thought about what I told you?" he asks.

"You know I haven't," I admit, my voice tinged with resignation.

Adam's tone is understanding as he responds, "I know, but I thought I should ask just in case."

"Yeah, I get it," I mutter, feeling a pang of guilt for not giving Adam a clearer answer.

Adam's tone becomes more insistent. "You should really think about it though," he urges. "And get back to me when you've made a decision."

"I will," I say, though I'm not sure how soon that will be.

Adam's tone brightens slightly. "Great," he says. "I'll let you know if we have any news on Melanie."

"Thanks," I say gratefully, though my mind is already elsewhere.

We exchange a brief goodnight, and then we hang up. Alone once more, I let out a heavy sigh and lift my gaze to the sky above.

Adam is right to be asking for an answer, but right now, I can't think of anything else but Melanie.

My phone buzzes in my hands, snapping me out of my reverie. I look down absentmindedly, only to freeze as I see a message from Melanie lighting up the screen.

My heart races as I open Melanie's message, anticipation coursing through my veins. Her words fill the screen, and I feel a surge of excitement and panic all at once. Melanie is talking to me, but I need to keep her engaged. What if I say something wrong and she stops responding? I have to choose my words carefully.

"I miss you too... I am sorry, I know I am making everything so difficult," her message reads.

I type out my response, choosing my words with utmost care. "You're not making anything difficult," I assure her. "You're in a complicated situation, and I understand. But I can't help but miss you. A lot."

As I hit send, I can't shake the nervous flutter in my stomach. The seconds stretch into an agonizing eternity as I wait for her reply, silently repeating a prayer over and over in my mind: "Please, answer."

Finally, Melanie responds, and relief floods through me. "It will all be over soon," she writes, her words a balm to my anxious heart. "And thank you for giving me time."

A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I type my response. "Anything you need, Melanie," I assure her, "you know I'll be here for you."

Melanie's next message appears on the screen, and my heart skips a beat as I read her words. "I know," she writes, "but I want you to know that I'm not taking you for granted."

A soft smile spreads across my face at her sentiment. I take a moment to compose my response, my fingers dancing across the screen. "I appreciate that," I type, my heart pounding in my chest, "but it's too late. You have all of me, heart and soul. I'll wait for as long as you need, if it means I'll get to hold you in my arms again."

With a deep breath, I hit send and anxiously wait for her reply. It's a bolder message, but I needed Melanie to know how I truly feel. I can't just stand on the sidelines and do nothing while Daniel influences her with his actions.

A rush of emotions floods through me as Melanie's message appears on my screen. "Ugh, you are making it so hard for me to not invite you over right now," she writes, her words stirring a longing within me. "You are too good for me, Marcus. But I have to work through this mess alone. I miss you. Goodnight, Marcus."

Relief floods through me as I read her words. Melanie is still fighting her own battles, but she hasn't pushed me away completely. With a steady hand, I type my response. "Goodnight, baby," I write, my heart overflowing with emotion. "I miss you too. So fucking much."