Then *Poof* I'm Always There: Book 3 (Final) #Wattys2014

Chapter 15: Something's Fishy

Don't let the bad experience of a man harden your heart from love. -Unknown

It's been a few weeks since we started dating, enough to be past the point of knowing whether there was another kid in me or not. And the answer?

No. At least, I was pretty positive.

I've gotten a few calls on my cell from the prison asking if I wanted to talk to Zach or not, since apparently he wanted to use his one phone call a week with me. Every time they called I would practically scream that I never wanted to have any contact with him again. They stopped calling last week.

I still felt a little scared of being touched by anyone, or even being around others. But being with Mark again was making it bearable. He was like my therapy to come back to the world I once knew. My job was helping too. I was getting better at talking to people again, and it could only get better, right?

I got home from my shift one day and heard the usual muffled yells from the office. I smiled to myself and put my purse on the coffee table before grabbing a bottle of water and walking up the spiral stairs to his office door. As per usual when he recorded, the door was closed. I sat down in the hallway against the wall and waited patiently for him to come out. Of course, it could be a while. Sometimes he'd be in there for an hour to make a fifteen minute video. Who knows if he'd just started or if he was almost done?

I heard him say the usual outro and waited another minute to make sure he was done. I stood up and before I could even knock, the door flew open and we both screamed out of surprise.

"Augh! Don't do that to me, Lex!"

"I'm sorry," I huffed out. I was trying to not laugh but it happened anyway. He shook his head with a quirky smile on his face.

"Did you just get home or have you been waiting long?"

"Neither, I think. I got home and heard you screaming like a little girl so I thought you might need something to drink." I handed him the water bottle and he chugged half of it in two seconds flat.

"Thanks," he sighed. "You were right. I did need that." He motioned for me to come inside and sat down in his chair. "Come see what I'm working on. You may like it."

"Oh really now? Is it uber scary?"

"Not really, but it's definitely entertaining." I walked over and saw on his double monitors the video editor with a game I'd played years ago.

"Super Creepypasta RPG?! Really?!"

"Yeah! I found it recently and thought 'why not?' It's not creepy so far, except for that one picture." He slightly shuddered and the thought of it. "But It's okay."

"I remember I suggested it to you so long ago!"

"You did?"

"Yeah! I commented on one of your videos about it."

"Which one?"

"Ugh, I can't remember. Like I said, it was so long ago!"

"And you just now tell me this?"

"I forgot about it! I was too busy going through drama to remember small details like that."

"Whatever. Get over here!" He turned me around and pulled me into his lap. I held onto his shoulders and neck for dear life and tried not to fall off. He had a great big smile on his face and he gave me an Eskimo kiss as soon as I was settled.