DEAR YOU [Part 1]

Chapter 14

CORALINE

The bell rang. We walked out of the classroom with a billion notes in our hands and a stressed out mind.
Exam season is the worst, in between the already mess in my mind, the motivation to study seems secondary.

Mark took some of my notes and said,

"Hey. I was wondering if you wanted to have some coffee after school today?"

I have been hanging out with Mark ever since detention. I think he is the only person I can stand for more than ten minutes. Hes a good one.

"Uh. I am sorry if I gave you a wrong impression but I am not looking for you know, a date or anything."
And just when I thought he might like hanging out with me.

"Oh no no." he sharply replied, "I have a girlfriend. I just thought, you know coffee as friends and stuff." I didn't see that coming.

"Fuck I am sorry. I might seem so full of myself."

"Not at all. I think it is more habitual to you." He laughed and picked some more of my notes.

---

I placed the keys on the kitchen counter. The whole house screamed silence but it didn't bother me anymore. Infact, it gave me comfort. Knowning the fact hat there was no one around me for whom I have to pretend. I rushed up to my room for a quick change of clothes.

I glanced at the letter on my desk. I picked it up yesterday and ever since then, I couldn't muster up the strength to open it. The fact that that person replied to my letter again showed that they wanted to talk to me, wanted things to be better for me but I just was not ready, I was not ready to give life another try.

---

"Hey, you finally came." Mark waived brightly from one of the tables.

"Hi, sorry I got lost."

"No worries, so what should we order. I am starvng, literally."

"Coffee and some pancakes?"

"Sounds wonderful" he signaled the waiter.

"I am assuming you want to tell me something?"

"I know this is going to sound stupid but, since you know you are a girl."

"Yeah, I am aware of the fact." I gave him a weird look.

"And Gwen is a girl too."

"Yeah, your girlfriend is a girl too. Dude, are you okay?"

"I love her. I love her and I want to tell her by doing something special so tell me. What should I do." He said with a deep sigh.

"That's why you invited me for coffee? We could have talked about this at school you know." I stared at him annoyingly.

"Yeah but I know you wont talk to me about it if you don't get properly bribed so here is my bribe, order everything, its on me."
He nudged me and cried, "Please help me."

"Coraline, what the fuck are you doing here." A loud harsh voice made his way through the tables.

"Dave, what are you doing here." I exclaimed.

"Who is he, huh? Another one of your boyfriends you whore." He began screaming now.

"Dave, please calm down you are making a scene." I tried to talk him down.

"You don't tell me to calm down , you bitch." He pushed me a bit, when suddenly I saw Mark hit Dave in the face.

"You don't get to talk to her that way." Mark pushed him back, "Now get the hell out of here."

The whole restaurant was looking at us and a few even started hooting. I grabbed Mark by the arm and dragged him out of the restaurant.

"What the hell is wrong with you Mark." I yelled at him.

"Me? Are you serious Cora." He looked disappointed, "I was not the one who yelled at you in front of a billion people." He said.

"Why did you punch him."

"Because" he looked speechless.

"Because what Mark."

"Because he cant talk to you like that. I cant let that happen." He now raised his volume.

"Why." I was now shaking with anger. "Who are you." I shouted.

"I am your friend Coraline or I thought I was."

"We are not friends Mark." I looked at him, "You don't know me and you don't have to protect me. I am fine being by myself, I have always been. You have no idea what you just did."

His face shriveled down, he put his hands in the air and spoke softly, "I did what that douchebag had coming Coraline."
He now stepped back,
"and maybe its time you start letting people in, maybe then you woul realize how much of a douchebag you are being right now."

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