Drowning

Chapter Nine

Slamming my apartment door behind me, I drag my feet to the couch and drop down. I'm officially exhausted and the worst thing is that no matter what I do a restless night awaits me. Knowing this I take off my jacket and go to the kitchen for a glass of wine, I would drink something stronger but I'll probably end up going to the gym later tonight.

Today wasn't as bad as I thought, besides from the questionnaire this morning, lunch went surprisingly smoothly. I thought Mariana would only make shameless comments, but for once she actually behaved herself making easy conversation. We talked quite a bit, enough for me to know that he's an only child and has been working for his dad seven years now, basically his entire career, which honestly doesn't surprise me.

Grabbing my glass I walk to my room and get changed into leggings and a crewneck getting these damn contacts off my eyes and putting on my glasses. I walk out of my bathroom and look at the bookshelf wall in my room and decide I don't want to read any of them, so I go to my bookshelf in the living room, take a quick glance at all of them and settle on reading a book in Italian, La Divina Comedia. I know many may think I'm a book freak, and I'll totally agree with them, there are never enough books to be owned and never enough books to be read.

I nestle in a corner of my couch, my wine glass in one hand and the book in the other, when suddenly my door opens. "Seriously Mariana, don't you have a boyfriend to bother, I'm reading."

I assume it's Mariana at the door because she is the only one who has a key besides Lidia and Lidia never comes by at this hour.

"She's actually bothering me by bringing the dinner I made for us here, so that we can all eat together," Mark says in an annoyed tone. Still not glancing up, "I'm good, I have my dinner right here," raising the arm holding my wine, taking advantage I turn the page.

"You hear her, we can go,"

"Mark Theodore Daniels, put the plate down and help me set the table," I smile at the mention of Mark's middle name. When Mariana says someone name by itself without a nickname is dangerous nevermind full name with middle name. I look at Mark who is reluctantly setting the plate down and looking at me annoyed, for that I send him a grin.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, I'm missing a game for this." That leaves me dumbfounded, there's a game today? I thought it was Thursday. "There's a game today?"

"Yeah you dumbass, The Celtics and The Lakers." that makes my eyes widen.

"Why didn't you text me, you bastard. And why didn't you come by? You two always come for games." I say throwing a pillow which hits him directly in the face. Satisfied by my throw, I reach for the remote. My book long forgotten, I won't sleep all night, the book can wait anyways.

"Mariana fucking told me not to bother you with a game because you were tired. Then she gives me a 360 and says we should come by and bring you dinner instead, since you probably won't make your own." That makes me glare at Mariana. She opens her mouth trying to defend herself but closes it and gives me a shrug. She was right though, I am tired, but that shouldn't stop them from coming over.

"You two need a better thing to bond about than basketball, I swear that you two are obsessed." Mariana says.

"Ok, we just enjoy watching it." This is the one thing where I actually willingly coincide with Mark. We both like watching the games.

"Nah, we are obsessed. We've never even missed a game." Mark says, grabbing my wine from behind me and taking a sip. I give him a death stare for both the wine and the comment.

I stand up and go besides Mariana who is already serving herself wine from the bottle I opened. "Can't we just serve ourselves, have dinner on the couch and enjoy the game? We already have the attire for it" I say glancing down at our clothes, she's wearing shorts and a hoodie and Mark sweatpants and shirt, we don't need to be formal. "We still have our weekly dinners to sit down on the table," trying to bring her solace "and I know you say it's boring but I know you secretly love it." Nudging her in the shoulders, I've forced her to watch basketball with me for years, she needs to at least enjoy it by now.