Prove It

Chapter XXIV

"One more time!" Ivan demands, clapping his hands in glee with his brother.

"Alright," Marcus chuckles at their enthusiasm. He holds up the quarter in front of them, and in the blink of an eye, makes it disappear behind Adam's ear, holding back his empty hands. The next second he reaches behing Ivan's ear and brings the quarter back into view.

My two young cousins watch in wonder and awe, the biggest eyes and smiles on their faces make my heart skip a beat. When he first unveiled the trick almost fifteen minutes ago, they've wanted nothing more than to see it on repeat, and Marcus seems all to willing to deliver in whatever they ask of him.

"Why don't you guys try it on each other?" he asks the twins, handing them the quarter that had been disappearing before their eyes. Ian snatches the coin from Marcus, and stares at it in wonder and the two study it intensly. Ivan then proceeds to attempt the trick on Adam, only to discover he can't make the quarter disappear. With a determined look on his face he goes back to work.

"That should keep them busy for a while," he says. He plops himself down next to me on the couch and put his arm around me. After everyone has congregated in the sitting room to relax and watch some television.

"So Marcus, where have you decided to apply to schools?" my grandfather asks sitting comfortably in his reserved recliner. Relaxing back into the soft leather my grandfather is still sizing him up, even after observing him for the past three hours.

"University of Pennsylvania, UChicago, University of Michigan and UConn," he answers politely. He really has been a good sport with all the questions. It must be exhausting constantly being under a microscope, but not once have I felt tension or seen an uncomfortable look. Or he might be a great actor.

"Very good choices," my grandfather nods in approval.

"What are you thinking of studying?" my aunt asks, smiling warmly. I'm glad she's the one talking now. She's way more gentle than grandpa.

"Business," my family all nods thoughtfully at him, even my grandfather, who notoriously has complained all his life about the contracts and deals he had to look over and draft up for them.

"Do you have anything specific in mind?" she presses further.

Marcus rubs the back of his neck, the first action he's done that hinted he was uncomfortable. "I'm not sure yet. I mean, my family's business, but I'm not quite sure if that's what I want. If it is I will, if it's not they have other people to fall back on," he explains thoughtfully.

I'm not used to him talking so seriously about his future. It's very... refreshing. Whenever I try to talk to Sofia or Brynn about college they sometimes brush it off, telling me that it's so far in the future when it's really not. To top it off, his maturity is quite attractive. He might have to be the one to talk to from now on.

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Saying our goodbyes a few hours later was hard. I'm not sure when I'm going to see my aunt, uncle and cousins again, and I'm almost embarrassed for being so emotional.

Marcus and I walk away from the house back to his truck. He opens up the door this time like a gentleman and helps me into the seat.

"You really seem to know what you want," I comment with a chuckle. It's not like I'm clueless, but he sounded so sure, so professional and very organized in his plan.

He chuckles softly as he puts the truck in drive. "I don't," he says. "I have no idea what I'm doing or what I want. I know what I'm going to school for, but that's it."

"But you know you want business, right?"

He sighs and licks his lips. He thinks for a second, and for that second I could feel myself starting to get nervous.