Don't - Mark Tuan Fanfic (Third Book for 'Can't')

24 - My Regrets

"Goodbye, Cristina."

What? "Mark ... What ..."

"Cristina." It's my dad's voice and I can't say that I feel relieved to hear him alive. My thoughts are still stuck on the last thing Mark said. What did he mean? Where's he going? Isn't it over yet? "Little bear, listen. I'm on my way, alright? Let the guys take you down the hotel."

"Huh?"

"Meet me at the lobby of the hotel." He repeats. "Stay with my men."

"They're ... dead, dad." I cry once again. 

"Shit." He curses, I think it's the first time again that I hear him cursing. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

"No .... I'm ... f...fine." Half of my mind is still troubled by Mark's voice. "Dad. Is Mark, ok?"

I hear him sigh. "Yes. We're near the hotel. Come down."

Excited, anxious, and still a bit scared, I drop the phone and run out of the room, not taking anything nor looking at the men on the floor when I pass by them. I press the button for the elevator impatiently, switching from one lift to the other as they seem to get to my floor so slowly. Once the left door opens, I dash in and punch the ground floor. 

I just can't wait to see both my dad and Mark. I can't wait to say in front of him the words that he's been deprived of for the past weeks. I can't wait to wrap my arms around him and let him kiss me just like how he used to. 

I just can't wait.

As soon as I get off the elevator, I sprint to the exit, hating my legs for moving so slow. My heart races when I see my dad's back. He's standing beside a car and inside the car is none other than the person I wanted to see the most. 

"Mark!" His name rushes out of my mouth, loud enough for people in the lobby of the hotel to turn and look at me. More of my tears come out when his eyes look straight at mine. 

He looks away and to my dad, saying something to him I couldn't hear. I try to hasten my steps, closing the gap between us. 

Then, I stop when he looks at me again and reaches for the door of the car and it closes. 

"Mark?" It's as if I am in one of my dreams where I know I'm running but I am not going anywhere. "MARK!" I'm not even sure if I'm shouting or whispering. 

The car moves forward and I cry out his name louder. Maybe he couldn't hear me? Maybe he didn't see me? 

"Dad?" My tears are flowing down as I watch the car drive away, my pace slowing down, my heart beat stopping. "Wh....What's going on?" I go beside him, looking up at his distressed face. "Where's he going?" I cling to his arm, shaking it a bit. "Dad?" I shake him harder when he doesn't answer. "Dad? Where's Mark going?"

Finally, he sounds out a soft sigh and turns to me, a weak smile on his face. "My little bear." He gently takes me in his arms and cries, his tears wetting locks of my hair that touch his cheeks. "Everything's gonna be ok now. Let's just go see your mom, ok?"

Mom!

I nod, looking at the road once again where the car isn't anywhere to be seen. 

________

I open my eyes, crying once again. It's how I normally wake up nowadays. The image of the car getting smaller and smaller and Mark's back, slowly disappearing, is still fresh when I put my feet down on the floor and sit at the edge of the bed. 

I wipe my cheeks dry and turn my head towards the window where I see the now-familiar hill beside the luxurious establishment I have been calling home for the past three months. The beauty of it would always erase the bad dream I just had and put a genuine smile on my face, lightening the heavy load that's been stuck on my chest for a while.