Your Mark on Me

Chapter 20: Close Encounter

On Wednesday morning I was up early. I ran through the Chopin and the two Liszt Etudes, then spent an hour or so just on that devilish Ravel. Mom seemed relieved to see me practice with such enthusiasm; since the previous day, I hadn't mentioned going back home at all.

I practiced all the way until lunch and continued straight after. From time to time, I would take a short break and text Mark, see where he was. He'd text me back with the name of a place and the ETA. He must have been really bored to text while driving; it was such a long drive, especially for someone to do on their own. I still couldn't believe he was coming all that way, for me.

The phone buzzed again, this time without me having asked anything.

"Stopped for lunch."

Minutes after, another text:

"Question: am I going to meet your mother?"

While I was scratching my head, not knowing what to reply, the phone buzzed again.

"Any plans for dinner? I could take you both."

That was definitely not what I had in mind. I left the piano and, taking refuge in the privacy of the bathroom, I called him.

"Let me guess", Mark said. "You never mentioned me to her."

"Isn't that a bit of a no brainer?" The amusement in his tone was irritating me. This wasn't some sort of fun little game, some more entertainment for him to kill his time with. This was my life, my mom and the grim possibility of being grounded for a long, long time.

"Imagine what it would sound like to her, if I tried to explain. You said in the past yourself that a friendship like ours would be strange."

"Well, I can't say it hasn't been", he replied bluntly. I was glad he couldn't see me blushing.

"Come on, Mark. Can you please just treat me seriously once in a while?"

"I am. Hence why I've been on the road for five hours since this morning."

He sounded slightly annoyed, so I didn't know what else to say. I paused, for a little while just breathing in the phone, waiting.

"Don't worry about it", he said. "I'll sort out something when I see you both."

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing much. Just be my charming self."

"Good luck with that", I scoffed. "If that's your plan, I can already consider myself grounded for life."

He laughed, his voice so warm and pleasant that I couldn't help smiling to myself. Then, there was a little pause and I knew he would hang up soon, but I didn't want to stop talking to him just yet.

"Mark?"

"Yes?"

My finger clasped tighter against the phone. "I just wanted to say... I know you were busy and everything and you didn't have to... I mean, this is just a nuisance to you... but it really means a lot to me."

"Scarlett, you're never a nuisance." There was a little pause and I felt he wanted to say something more, but he didn't. In the end, he cleared his throat. "I'll see you in a bit, then."

"Yep, see you soon."

I hung up, smiling to myself. I wasn't worried anymore. Mark said that I didn't need to be and I trusted him. Somehow, he always knew what to do.

In the afternoon, I accepted Jackie's renewed invitation of going back to the hall, to watch some of the second round recitals.

The thought of Mark coming must have distracted me too much during the first part of the day, to the point where I thought that maybe, after having battled my fear and played in the first round, my anxiety was gone. Of course, I was wrong.