Prove It

Chapter XLIII

Me: Can you come over?

I stare at the words before hitting send quickly to avoid taking back the question and procrastinate the conversation further.

Only a moment later my phone vibrates with a response.

Marcus: I'll be over in a few

Marcus: are you alright?

Me: okay

I answer the first respose but don't respond to the question beneath, because honestly, the answer depends on him.

I near the door, anxiously waiting for him to arrive. I made sure no one else would be home for this so they 1. wouldn't interfere and 2. wouldn't try to talk to me before he comes over.

The doorbell rings and I jump to attention, knowing whose at the door right now. I gather myself and open up for Marcus.

He comes in silently and I close the door behind him. I lead him to my room and sit down on the bed. He follows my lead and sits down next to me.

"Are you alright? Is something going on?" he asks, the wrinkles in his forehead appearing.

"No nothing's wrong, we just have to talk," I tell him, but that does anything but ease the look of worry on his face. If that my explaination only intensifies it.

"What about?" he asks, leaning closer, but I move away slightly. I can't be too close to him talking about this. I need rational.

"Are you still going to be my boyfriend after I leave?" I ask.

His worried expression fades, and his face relaxes into a small smile. Now I'm confused. How is he relaxed right now? I feel like my insides are exploding waiting for his response right now and he looks totally fine.

"I mean, I assumed I would be. I don't want to break up," he answers and the knot in my chest disappears instnatly. Wow, that was a whole lot easier than I was dreaming it up in my head.

"Oh," I sigh out, not sure how to answer him now. I smile a little, still wondering how this is playing out so nicely.

"Oh?" I look up and now he looks worried again. What's wrong?

"Do you not want that?" he asks, gently stroking my hair.

"No no I do!" I assure him, resting my arms around his neck. "I was just really nervous, and I was surprised by how relaxed you are."

He chuckles at himself and looks down at his shoes. "I guess it was wrong of me to assume we didn't need to talk about this. Like I said, I was assuming we were just going to make it work."

He looks back up at me with sad eyes. "Were you really nervous to talk to me about that? Why? You know I'd never want to break it off with you," he says anxiously.

"No one wants to break up, Marcus. I mean, look at Hannah and Aaron. They probably didn't want to break up, but they did because they felt the distance was too much," I say.

"Is that what Hannah told you?" he asks, and my eyebrow shoots up at his tone.

"Is that not what happened? I overheard her conversation with Mindy a few days ago. It made sense to me," I reply.

He shakes his head with a sad face. "No. Hannah told him she didn't want to be tied down through college. Obviously it's hard on both of them, but she didn't even want to try and make it work."

I'm shocked at what he told me. What Hannah had told Mindy was so different than what Aaron must have told Marcus.

"Do you think we'll make it?" I ask.