Against the Law

Chapter 19: Healing Wounded Hearts

This chapter is a short chapter of what happens between Mark and James recently.

James' POV

"C'mon, man. I hate seeing you like this." Mark said, as I continued drinking the beer in my hand. The apartment is dimly lit, as it has been for the last few days since Emily left me. I'm falling apart. The pain of her absence weighed heavily on my heart. As I struggled to cope with the void she left behind, I found solace in booze, something I haven't done before.

Mark kas been here for me through everything, offering a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on. I could tell that Mark had made it his mission to help me heal my broken heart. He was trying his best to navigate me through this emotional turmoil.

"I know this is tough, James, but you can't keep shutting yourself off from the world. You need to talk to me." Mark told me softly.

I turned to face Mark, with my bloodshot eyes filled with sadness and frustration. "Talk? What's the fucking point, Mark?" I snapped. "She's gone. Nothing can change that. And your pity is the last thing I need from you."

I didn't mean to get snappy, and Mark knew that. "I'm not here to pity you, James. I'm here as your friend, someone who cares about you. I can see how much you're hurting, and I want to help you find a way to heal."

I scoffed, my anger seeming to rise more and more, "Heal? How the fuck can I heal when my heart feels like it's been ripped apart? The pain won't just go away, Mark. It's consuming me! And you're not helping!" The only thing I saw was red as I smashed my bottle against the wall, causing glass to shatter everywhere. "I... leave Mark. Please, just go."

Mark looked taken aback but remained calm. "I understand you're hurting, James. But getting closure might take time. It's important to take care of yourself until then, okay?" Mark was slowly moving towards me like I was a wild animal.

I slammed my fist on the table, my rage uncontrollable. "YOU don't understand anything! You've never been through this! You can't possibly know what it feels like." Of course, that wasn't true. He has been through this. He lost someone very important to him. And I knew I shouldn't have said that, but it's like I lost control.

Mark's expression changed from concern to hurt, still remaining his composure. "You're right, James." Mark spoke quietly. "I can't fully comprehend what you're going through. But that doesn't mean I can't be here for you, trying my best to support you."

Just wanting to be alone, I pointed towards the door, and spoke with my voice filled with venom. "You're not helping! I don't need your fucking support if you can't even begin to understand, Mark! Just leave! Get out of my house..."

Mark looked stunned for a minute, before he complied with my demand. "I-I'm sorry, James," Mark murmured. "I'll give you the space you need. But remember, I'm still here for you whenever you're ready."

As Mark left the apartment, I was left alone with my anger, my emotions consuming me. The silence that followed was deafening, amplifying my feelings of isolation. Regret filled my heart, but I was too consumed by my own pain to reach out to Mark or even Emily right now.