CLARITY

| part 2 |

Christian

I don't know what happened.
She called me crying.

We had just parted ways on our usual walk home. She lived a few blocks down. Blocks that blurred together as I ran past them. I almost crashed into a car but I didn't care.

I reached for the door knob to see that it's already open. My heart stops. I see her sobbing to herself in the corner of her living room, or whatever this mess used to be. Glass everywhere, wine on the carpets, broken tables.

If this wasn't her parents last straw I'm not sure what it was. They've always been in huge arguments, I've always helped Mari through them. As independent as she is and as tough as she tries to act, in the inside she's always alone and scared. Her parents arguements would end up as her punishments. She'd have to clean anythung they broke, deal with her "dad", and try to calm down her mom.

I ran towards her and kneel down to her. She has her knees to her chest and head in her legs. I hug her as best as I can.

I can feel her jagged breaths, whistling nose. My heart hurts. I can't help her take this pain away.

"What happened Mari" I whisper towards her ears, still having my hands wrapped around her.

No response.
I don't ask again.

"M-my mom filed for a divorce" she says, her voice breaking.
"I- I don't know..what happened. I think he found out"

"shh it's okay" I think it's clear it didn't go well.

I pat her back,
holding her close to my chest.

I try to shield her from the disaster in front of us.

~

"Do you want anything to eat?" I ask, she had stopped crying.

"No."

"You sure? Not even some sushi?" her favorite. I know she can't turn it down while actually meaning it.

"I'm not hungry."

"okay."
I ordered some anyways.
"Let's get out of here" I knew staying inside would make her think more about what happened. I don't want her to have to relive that again.
"okay" she says.
I take her things and we walk to the park.

It was where we first met. She was on the swings and I was going down the slide, I saw the empty seat next to her and sat down. "What's your name" I remember asking, having never seen her before.
"Marinette"
"thats a pretty name"
"what's yours?"
"Christian"
"oooo"
"can I call you Mari?"
"sure"
And just like that, we were inseparable. We were in the same class for 2nd grade and would never leave each other's side. Not now, not ever.

She sat down on the swings, I sat beside her.

"Have you talked to your mom?"
"I called her right after calling you, she said she filed for a divorce and my dad found out and well..it didn't go well."
"Yeah, do you wanna stay over at mines tonight? Or as long as you need to"
"I would like that"
Our parents knew we were close, we'd always want to have play dates. Sleepovers were nothing anymore.

I tried to distract her. Me and her were always competitive, in school; life points; sports, just about anything.

"I bet I can swing higher than you" I challenged.
"yeah in your dreams I'm sure you do"
I chucked
"You really think i'd ever dream of you?"
I do every night
"And you really think you can beat me?"

I let her win.

---

even shorter chapter but I was just in the mood to add onto the story, this was all Christians pov and next chapter I'll have both but yeah

-luv,
kulfi