past mistakes

Sleepy Girl

Driving home is a whole new experience for me. I don't remember passing any of this. We get to his house at some point. He helps me out, but I still stumble quite a bit. We walk into his house slowly.

"You know, your house always smells like a new house?" I say as we walk in.

Mark smiles and sits down on the couch with me around his arm.

"Are you okay Mary Cate?" he asks quietly as he stares at me.

"I've never been better," I say, moving my eyes in a daze.

Mark grips my chin and looks me in the eyes, holding my face still. "You're good?" he asks.

"I'm great. I'm amazing actually. I don't feel any stress right now. Any." I pull away from his grip and try to stand up. "I could literally run a marathon right now."

I stumble as I try to get up. Mark quickly gets up and holds me still, "Why don't we just sit down for a while?"

He holds me as he sits down and tightens his grip. I just relax and let him hold my body weight.

We hear the door unlocking and see Maeve and James enter. "How'd you beat us here?" James asks.

Mark smiles, "I'm a faster driver than you."

James scoffs as he and Maeve sit on another couch nearby. James stands up and leaves Maeve on the couch by herself. "Watch her for me?" James says as he walks away.

James walks back with two glasses or an amber colored drink. Mark takes the second glass. He takes a sip and coughs a little after.

"So MC, you want to explain why you got sent to boarding school to us?" James says.

I shake my head, "No, I don't."

James and Mark both laugh. James continues, "It must've been a big deal."

"I'm not telling you anything," I say, slurring a bit.

"We can't get her to talk about it even like this," James says to Mark. "She's a tough one," he adds. He doesn't seem to be talking to me even though I'm right here.

"So her parents are coming on Saturday?" James asks.

Mark nods, "Yeah. They're flying in."

James exhales, "Don't waste their time."

Mark nods, "I know." My eyelids get heavier as they talk. I catch a few words here and there.

I am kind of awakened when Mark takes off his jacket and repositions. Since we are on the corner of the couch, I have my head on the arm rest and my body draped partly over his. My legs are on the rest of the couch. It's really comfortable.

I close my eyes again and can't even make out what they are saying.

I'm asleep until I feel him moving under me. "We should get some sleep." James says, "Yeah."

Then I feel Mark getting up but I'm still in his arms. "I'll put her in the upstairs guest bedroom," Mark says.

James says, "I'll take downstairs."

Mark must be walking up the stairs. He does his best to not make it a bumpy ride for me. Then I feel myself being laid on a bed. I yawn and pull the blankets to my face. I open my eyes to make sure Mark knows that I'm present right now.

"My room is right next door," he whispers. Then he says, "Get some sleep," as he brushes some hair off my face. My eyes don't open again, despite my desire for them to.

He walks out, I assume. Then I'm off to sleep again.

I don't dream at all. It's just darkness. When I wake up though, it's the opposite. The harsh sun is coming right on my face. I pull the curtains to block the light as I wake up. I rub my eyes and gauge how bad the headache is. Very bad. The dizziness is worse.