Lessons On Love

20: Hide Or Seek

Chapter 20: Hide Or Seek?

            The first thing I did when I got home was walk inside to make sure the coast was clear. The note I had taped by the front door for my dad was missing, the house quiet, and after tiptoeing upstairs and checking to make sure his bedroom lights were off, I went back outside to grab Marshall.

            Despite what anyone in my situation might have thought, I was actually extremely confident about carrying him inside the house. At first. I mean, he was probably twice my size if I really thought it over, but I wasn’t like the average girl. I prided myself on my many strengths and abilities, and technically, if I could beat Marshall up a hundred times over in a fight, carrying him inside the house shouldn’t be a problem. Unfortunately, logic was totally against me on that one.

            Almost as soon as I hauled Marshall on my back and lifted off, my knees gave out and I almost collapsed with him on top of me. He didn’t even look that heavy, but there I was, losing the battle, anger fuelling inside of me reminding me once more I should have just stayed home when he first called me that night. Grunting, I steadied my own weight and started the way toward the front door, Marshall’s feet dragging on the front lawn. Unfortunately, each step I took didn’t seem to bring me closer to my destination, and Marshall’s head was like a gigantic bowling ball sitting on top of my shoulder.

            Quarter way to the door, I just stopped. “Why do I even bother?” I mumbled, not to anyone in particular. “I should just drop you on the ground Marshall, and then drag you by the foot.”

            Suddenly, and I was so surprised by it that my eyes widened in alarm, Marshall became lighter.

            At first, I was so taken that I quickly brushed it off and deemed it unreasonable. I mean, people didn’t just drop twenty pounds from out of nowhere, but as hard as it was for my brain to comprehend, I knew I wasn’t hallucinating. Marshall had become lighter. He had definitely become lighter!

            My brain instantly overflowed with ideas and I was desperate to try my top hypothesis, mostly because my head still refused to believe what had happened. What it came down to was only two possible reasons. One: I was legally insane. And two: Marshall was faking it… this whole time.

            “You’re still way too heavy,” I moaned to him, my voice haughty, but frail. I was a damsel, I convinced myself, Cinderella wishing her way to the ball. “It’d be so much nicer if you were just a bit lighter…”

            Nothing.

            I frowned. Was I wrong? No! I couldn’t be wrong. I just couldn’t.

            I started moving my feet again, determined to crack Marshall out of whatever sick, twisted game he was playing. “It might be better if I threw you on the ground,” I said, partially acting this time and partially actually meaning it. “Then, I’ll kick… I mean I’ll roll you to the door.”

            Nothing.

            Was I actually going insane? Was I really just overthinking it this whole time?