Is it Real or Just Another Crush?

20: Birthday Hangover

I wake up in Alena's guest room. I slowly get up and feel an aching headache. I notice I'm wearing a totally different set of clothes, someone must've changed me or maybe I changed myself. I look at my phone and see I got a text from Marcus.

Mr. Narcissist:
Call me when you're up

I call him.

"Hello?"

"How are you feeling?"

"My head feels like there are a thousand of you in there and they're all yelling, causing this aching feeling."

He laughs.

"Well, I got you some ramen, Gatorade, Studio Ghibli movies, and some fuzzy blankets all at my house right now."

"Really??"

"Mhm. I'll be there in 30 minutes. Bye."

He hangs up.

"Damn, when the hell did he get so nice." I mutter to myself.

"I've always been nice. See you soon." He says.

I thought he hung up.

"Alright, Bye." I say, trying to hide how embarrassed I am.

I hang up this time. I wash my face, take a shower, and dry my hair. I get into some fresh clothes and put my hair into a messy bun. I don't even care how I look right now. Marcus comes to pick me up and we go to his place. He really did have ramen, Studio Ghibili movies, Gatorade, and fuzzy blankets.

"All this for me?" I say dramatically.

I gasp and put my hand on my heart.

"And me. I live for Studio Ghibili marathons."

And that's how I spent my day off: being taken care of by my boss while watching Studio Ghibili movies and being snuggled up in fuzzy blankets. We finish up our 3rd movie and Marcus hands me my dinner: ramen.

"Ughh you're too good to me." I say as I smell the delicious ramen.

I put it down to wait for it to cool.

"Seriously, why are you so good to me?"

He sits down next to me and sets his bowl down on the coffee table next to mine.

"If I told you...I'm not sure you can take it."

Marcus crosses his arms and turns his face away from me.

"What? Tell me!" I say, getting closer to him.

"You can't handle it, baby." He teases me.

"Since you can't tell me, at least tell me why I can't handle it."

"Nice try."

"Seriously, you handpicked me as your assistant: someone with no experience, and you do all these favors for me and take care of me and get me this gifts like my new car."

"Because you're special to me and I always want to see you happy. And I want to make an effort so that I can become as special to you as you are special to me."

"But you are already special to me. Because of you, you're making my dream come true and you were there for me the most when my father passed away, but there has to be a reason why I'm special. Why am I special?"

Marcus swallows the lump in his throat. He looks straight into my eyes.

"The girl in the bus from high school is-"

"HELLO!!!!!!" We hear Marcus' sister yell excitedly as she enters the house. "I come bearing gifts for my sister-in-law!"

"What?" I ask excitedly.