Fire Meets Ice

Chapter 18: Opening Up

Alexa woke up from her painful memories of her two exes. The first one was a dive in for temporary heartbreak and the last one was a step away from falling completely ill and weak. Tears continued to flood her cheeks like rain on a sad day. When she checked her phone, she had hundreds of notifications that showed messages and missed calls from Anya, Oscar, Marcus, and her bestie Megan. She saw her phone rang again and decided to answer Megan.

Megan: Bestie, I've been calling you for 20 times in a row...Why didn't you answer me?!

Megan: Noticed tears on Alexa's cheeks. Wait, what is this? How come you're crying?

Megan: Did someone hurt you? Let me know so I can beat the sh*t out of them in person.

Alexa: No, it's not that. No one hurt me...

Alexa: I got invited to a friend's anniversary party and I saw how happy she was with her boyfriend of almost 9 years.

Alexa: Her voice was cracking. And it-

Megan: And what? Go on...You can say it.

Alexa: It made me feel dead inside...Like I can't breathe.

Alexa: Knowing I lost "love" and was unable to achieve it again for years...It made me feel like a failure honestly.

Megan: You're no failure, Alexa. What you experienced wasn't even real love.

Alexa: I know, all I kept telling myself was to get over it, but those repressed thoughts and emotions kept rushing back to me.

Alexa: You know my personality, Megan. You know I don't like to be sad for too long...

Alexa: Some days I'm fine, but other days I feel completely down...Like I'll never find love again.

Megan: What about Marcus? He must be worried about you too...

Speaking of the devil, she heard a knock on her apartment door.

Alexa: Someone's out at the door...I gotta go. Talk to you later, bestie.

She slowly opened the door and saw Marcus. He was standing there looking very concerned.

Alexa: Oh, it's just you.

Marcus: I've been calling and texting you 100 times. Why didn't you answer me or my friends, kitty?

He took a step closer to her.

Marcus: Your eyes are swollen. Have you been crying?

Alexa: Her voice continued to crack in between sobs. No, I'm fine...Seriously I am.

Alexa: You can go back to your apartment room...

Marcus: I'm not gonna go back seeing you cry...Come here, kitty.

He wrapped his big arms around her small torso and rested his chin on her head as he hugged her. Alexa was shaking and crying at the same time.

Marcus: I'm not gonna pressure you to talk about it if you don't want to for now...

Marcus: I'm just relieved you're home. I almost thought you got kidnapped. Anya was about to call the police.

Marcus: But I decided to come here myself.

Alexa hugged him back and she felt good for the first time from a meaty man's hug.

Marcus: It's 1 am. You should probably go to sleep. Mind if I sleep here tonight, kitty?

Marcus: I'm too tired to go back to my apartment room.

Alexa: She tried to tell a joke. Yeah, sure. Just as long as you don't wet the bed with saliva.

Marcus: I might have a hard time with that, but I'll try my best.

Marcus: If I do, allow me to clean your bed sheets for you.

Eventually, Alexa fell asleep and Marcus gently stroked her hair and shoulders. Anya called a few minutes after to ask about Alexa.

Anya: Hey, Marcus is Alexa home?

Marcus: Yeah, she's home. I finally got her to sleep.

Anya: What happened, dude? I didn't understand why she left without telling us.

Marcus: She hasn't told me the reason yet either. To be honest, it's better if she talks to me only...

Marcus: I don't think she's ready to open up about her problems yet to anyone else.

Anya: As long as she's safe and sound, I won't meddle. I wish she could be more open sometimes though.

Anya: It's never good to bottle up whatever one's thinking.

Marcus: Well, anyways. Good night, Anya. Tell your idiot Oscar I said his head is twice my size for your guys' anniversary.

Soon after, Marcus fell asleep right beside Alexa. His eyes were immediately shut and he snored a bit. Surprisingly enough, Alexa's bed was long enough to make space for his long legs.

Marcus: He thought to himself as he slept. She must've been crying because of her past hurt...

Alexa woke up in the following morning with the blankets messed up on her bed. She also saw a wetted puddle of saliva on the other pillow.

Alexa: She sat up and asked herself. Where did Marcus go?

Then she heard the water running in the shower stall and suddenly stopped. Marcus came out with a towel wrapped around his torso.

Alexa: She blushed a bit. Of course...I should've known you were up earlier than me.

Alexa: Also, I saw your stained saliva on my bed...Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

Marcus: Relax, kitty. I told you last night I would clean it.

Marcus: Just made you breakfast in the kitchen. I had a little taste of waffles with whipped cream and berries and they were good.

Alexa: Wow, ok. Lemme go wash my hair and brush my teeth first.

When she was finished, she slowly ate her waffles while cutting them into small pieces.

Alexa: Hmm, it's yummy. Especially with whipped cream.

Alexa: Reminds me of the waffles I usually order at this famous breakfast club me and my parents normally go to.

Marcus: Are you saying I'm a good cook? Call me Chef Marcus next time you eat with me. 

Alexa: Haha, maybe. Imagine if you owned a restaurant...

Alexa: You'd have over thousands of booths and tables taken care of each day...

Marcus: That's a possibility. I always believe if you wanna stack it up, you gotta work for it.

Alexa became silent again for a second, until she remembered she promised to tell Marcus why she went home crying yesterday. She told him everything that happened to her from high school to undergrad school, but she spoke more about her exes. Especially her crazy ex Hayden. Marcus got really angry hearing her say what Hayden said to her.

Marcus: That f**king asshole...Who gave him the right to say you need to "be better"?

Marcus: You're perfect the way you are. Can't believe he made you change for him. He's worse than a squidward and scumbag combined together.

Marcus: He's not a man if he couldn't "man up" to his problems.

Marcus: He's overbearing and has deep rooted issues if he still thinks you give a damn.

Marcus: How long have you been dating this piece of sh*t?

Alexa: A year and a half. My bestie Megan saved me from him.

Marcus: I'm pissed about what he said to you! I wish I could fly to Colorado and make his balls bleed.

Alexa: Yeah, well. Everyone knew he was crazy and delusional. But no one lifted a finger to help me, except Megan.

Marcus: Then those people are as bad as he is. I'm sorry you had to deal with him on your own for so long.