chapter fifteen – tattoos and terrors

"You look so beautiful, darling" Mommy ran her hand through my hair and down my cheek.

"Marc says I'm ugly" I frowned and glanced into the mirror at how I looked. I was going to be the flower girl at Aunt Marie's wedding!

"Oh does he now?" Mommy crossed her arms. "I think I should talk to Taylor. Her son obviously has eyesight problems"

I giggled at Mommy. A smile broke through her serious face.

"Don't ever let a boy make you think you're anything less than a stunning, intelligent young lady" Mommy bent down to my level. "But can I tell you a secret, TeeTee?"

I nod excitedly.

"I think Marc is only mean to you because he likes you" Mommy smiled at me.

I scrunched my face up in disgust.

"Ew Mommy! Boys are gross!"

"Tell me something I don't know about you" I speak up from where I sat on a stool, watching Marc experiment with food.

"You know everything about me, Tee" Marc doesn't look up from the cutting board as he chopped up grilled chicken.

"We didn't talk for 3 years, Marc" I roll my eyes. "You must have something or done something new that I haven't heard about."

Marc's blue eyes connected with mine and he raised his eyebrows.

"I have a tattoo"

"You have a what?!" My eyes widened with excitement. "Does your Mom know?"

"No" Marc laughed. "You better not tell her"

I rolled my eyes.

"C'mere" Marc gestured for me to come closer. "I'll show you"

I hopped up and rushed towards him, excited to see the tattoo.

"Well are you go-" I was cut off by Marc's lips attaching to mine.

His hands found my waist and he pulled me closer. Suddenly we were having a whole make out session in the middle of his kitchen.

It felt the same way it did when we kissed at the football game and the night of the party. Full of electricity and passion.

Once he pulled away, I glared at him.

"You know you could have just asked me for a kiss" I turned around to make my way back to my seat. "You didn't have to lie about some tattoo"

"I wasn't lying" Marc laughed. "Look"

I turned around and snorted as Marc pulled down his skinny jeans.

"What are you doing?"

"It's on my leg" Marc rolled his eyes and I smirked at the little duckys on his boxers. "Shut up, ducks are cool"

"Juliet?" I raised my eyebrows at the name written on his thigh in script.

"It's what Eric said he would have wanted to name the baby" Marc explains. "The one they lost"

"Oh" I felt my heart clench.

"I know it's weird but that's what really stuck with me after the accident" Marc spoke. "The idea that you could lose life that hasn't even started yet. The reality that it happened to my brother. It... it scares me"

"Marc.." My heart broke at his words.

"The blood" Marc glanced down at his hands like he was examining them. "The fact that Matt was awake and stuck in the wreck. He could have died. He could have died, knowing that he was trapped and there was nothing they could do. That's why I want to go out quick. It terrifies me, the thought of going through what Matt did during the accident"

"Then why do you drive the way you do?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"I don't deserve to get what I want, Thea" Marc's eyes darkened and my stomach knotted.

"You cant leave me, Marc" I sounded like I was about to cry. "You cant do that to me. If you can't stay here for yourself yet, do it for me"

Marc gave me a sad smile as I tried to plead with him. His bruised face and busted lip didn't help the way I was feeling. I felt like my heart was breaking at how broken he looked.

"Dad wants to send me back to the boarding school because of the fight" Marc sighed. "And I think Mom agrees with him."

We were silent for what felt like forever. I was processing what he had just said. He could actually be leaving again?

I was about to reply when a voice cut me off.

"I would have the same look if I was about to hook up with a dude with rubber ducks on his boxers"

"Tony! Summer!" Marc cracked a huge smile, but it looked fake as he pulled up his jeans.

"What's up bro!" Tony, pulled Marc into a hug while Summer gave me a small hug.

****

I kissed Marc on the cheek after I pulled myself from his arms. He had fallen asleep while we were watching our 4th episode of Glee and I didn't want to wake him up because he seemed so tired.

I covered him up with a blanket that was left on the couch and smiled at my boyfriend. I don't know what I would do if he left again. Last time it was so east because I had hated him. Now... now I actually like the jerk.

"Ma! Did Eric and his family move back in?" I cringed at the voice that was yelling.

Kevin appeared from the foyer and I glared at him.

"Hey, Tee-"

"Don't" I glared harder at him.

"C'mon I said I was sorry" Kevin sighed.

"No you didn't" I rolled my eyes as I passed him. I could feel that he was following me down the hallway.

"Well I'm sorry" Kevin grabbed my arm and made me face him once we were in the foyer.

"Did you apologize to Marc?" I ripped my arm out of his grip and crossed them.

"Why would I do that?" Kevin furrowed his eyebrows. "He stole my girl"

"Kevin are you serious? I have never liked you like that!" I exasperated. "And I don't even think you even like me like that"

"Why would I go through all of this for some girl I didn't like?" Kevin raised his eyebrow and I sighed.

"Why would you let your girlfriend or whatever continuously humiliate a girl you 'liked.' Why would you even help her?" I questioned and the fact that his face didn't show a stitch of guilt proved that he didn't like me. "But that doesn't matter. You're destroying your brothers life"

"No I'm not" Kevin snorted. "He's always been one of Mom and Dad's favorites"

"I watched your Dad sucker punch him when he was barely 14" I flung my hands up. "They sent him away because he had fought with you, when you were in the wrong and they're doing it again. You need to grow the hell up and stop being petty"

Kevin looked down and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Do you love him?"

I pursed my lips. Did I love Marc Preston?

"I don't know. But I know that I really want to someday" I sigh. "Don't destroy his life again, Kev. He's not as okay as everyone thinks he is. He needs to be home with his family. Not in some boys school, all the way across the city"

I turned around and opened the door to leave when Kevin spoke again.

"I wish you had fell for me instead"

"You only want that so you could add me to the list of things that you have and Marc doesn't" I grit my teeth. "I fell for Marc because he just wants me to be happy. Even if that meant letting me be with you. But I'm glad that my happiness comes from being with Marc"

And with that I left the Preston house, hoping to have sparked some sort of change in Kevin.

Marc needed his family right now. He's not happy and I know that I'm not enough for him right now. He needs all of the love he can get.