Roughley Drabble (BWWM)

Someone I Use To Know

Mark looked across the room, it was kind of dim but he was sure it was her. He hadn't seen her but once since the season ended but they talked or tweeted every week. But he had noticed during the last few weeks it was hard to catch her or she was avoiding his calls. Time to find out.

"Amber, hey woman, damn it's been hard to catch up with you."

Startled Amber looked up to see Mark, plastering a fake smile on her face she greeted him. She didn't really want to see him. Now here he was in person. He was just a reminder of him, damn she knew she should have stayed home.

"Hi Mark, how have you been?"

"I've been good, doing some gigs. I'm sorry I missed your concert but the parents insisted we all come home early."

"That's okay Mark. I know you have your own life to lead. That things change." Amber averted her eyes, she knew if she let anything slip Mark would be all over her, asking questions she didn't want to answer.

Mark cocked his head at the tone in her voice, it didn't sound right. She sounded hurt not to mention a little angry. "Ambs is something wrong? Did I do something to make you angry? You've been avoiding me for a few weeks now."

Well shit so much for not letting anything slip. Now he's going to be like a dog with a bone. "Mark, youhaven't done anything but be a good friend." She flashed him a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

He studied her as thoughts flashed through his mind. She wouldn't look him in the eyes. Why did she put an emphasis on you? He could see a sheen in her eyes...fuck it had to be Derek. "When was the last time you talked to Derek?"

Amber stiffened at his question. "Around Thanksgiving, when we did the dance wars." She blinked hard, she would not cry over a man that didn't want her.

"So you guys aren't talking? Why? I thought..." Mark did a mental slap, he knew what the problem was.

"Mark, I really don't want to talk about this. I need to go. I'll call you later." Gathering her things Amber quickly left the restaurant.

Mark sat thinking, he knew that Derek was back with Nina and had spent Christmas with her. But he had seen them together and something just wasn't clicking. Derek made and said all the right things but none of it rang true. He wasn't the same, he seemed to be doing what was expected instead of what he wanted. When he was dancing with Amber he saw the Derek he grew up with, funny, relaxed and happy with life. Now he had reverted back to the pre-Amber, Derek. He wanted his old friend back, the one Amber seemed to bring out. It was time to have a talk with his bro.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Derek walked up to Mark's house and knocked on the door. He didn't know what was so important that he had to come over at midnight but Mark was his bro so he came. His mind wondered as he waited for Mark to open the door. He wondered what she was doing. They hadn't talked in a month and he really missed her. But he had made his choices and he was going to stick with them. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice that Mark was standing there waiting for him to come in.

"Derek! Man snap out of it, come on in." Mark snapped his fingers in Derek's face.

"Sorry man, I was in my head. What's so important you called me to come over this late?"

Mark didn't say anything until they were both sitting down. He took a good look at his friend. The sparkle was missing from his eyes and he could tell his mind was elsewhere.

"So how's things with Nina? Are you going to put a ring on it?"

"What the hell, you called me over here to talk about Nina?" Derek stood up. "I'm going home."