The Preston Playboys

chapter twenty-three - butternut cookies and brain bleeds

chapter twenty-three – butternut cookies and brain bleeds

"Can you see us having a future?" Marc's voice was quiet. Like he wasn't supposed to ask that question.

"What?" I turned over on the grass to face him.

Today he decided he wanted to take me to the park. We fed the ducks, got chased by the ducks, hid in the tube slide and finally ended up laying in the grass.

"Like seriously? Can you see us getting married? Having kids? Growing old together?" Marc's blue eyes met my brown ones. "Is that in the cards?"

Was that in the cards for us? Did I want it to be?

Mrs. Thea Preston.

"Yes"

Marc's blue eyes were shooting daggers at Kevin and I. I knew I shouldn't have tried this. He hated me. He doesn't want anything to do with me anymore...

"Mom's gonna stop by later today" Summer continued monologuing as nobody spoke. "She's probably going to bring you some cookies. She would not stop talking about cookies last night"

"That's nice" Marc mumbled.

"I think she was actually baking them this morning because my room smelled like those nasty butternut cookies she keeps trying to make a thing" Summer continued. "You know-"

Summer's phone started ringing and she frowned down at the phone.

"It's my manager. Is it okay if I go-"

"Go ahead, Sum" Marc gave Summer a lopsided grin and my heart fluttered. I haven't seen him smile since the night of the accident. You know... before everything happened.

Summer said she would be right back and made her way out of the ICU room. Leaving Kevin, Marc and I alone.

Marc leaned back and closed his eyes. Ignoring us.

"Talk to him" Kev whispered in my ear.

"He doesn't want to talk to me" I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Tee-"

"I'm guessing you guys are officially Eastview's new 'It' couple?" Marc's voice was cold and emotionless. But the way his heart monitor was unsteady told me that he wasn't as emotionless as he was trying to seem.

"Nah, man. It's not like that" Kevin spoke when I stayed silent.

"Then what's it like, man?" Marc's eyes snapped open.

"Listen. I know you have problems and I'm sorry that none of us could help-"

"Problems?!" Marc spat. "What is this? An intervention from my cheating girlfriend and the scumbag that is my brother? What? Is that it? What are you gonna tell me that I need to control my anger? That I need to stop speeding? Well the fact that I can't walk anymore kind of told me that already?"

"Marc please" I was letting my tears fall now. "Please just listen to me."

"Why? So you can lie to my face some more? Tell me that you want a future with me when in reality you're just trying to get with my brother?" Marc hissed.

"I was trying to fix you guys. You needed your brother. I told him to meet me in my room and then I was going to make you guys talk. That's why Charlie brought you up there. I didn't want to be the reason you guys hated each other. I wasn't worth that." I cried out.

"Marc. You need to chill" Kevin spoke at the same time I noticed that a lot of machines were starting to beep erratically.

"You're right, Thea. You're not worth it" Marc spat. "You weren't worth the years of hurt I went through just trying to get your attention while you loved my brothers and hated me. You weren't worth it when I rejected girls that were probably better than you left and right. You weren't worth spending hours trapped in my worst nightmare. You're just not worth the fucking trouble"