Table 15

Chapter 20

I had nothing left in me. My head ached and my throat was dry. My eyes stung, and my cheeks were stained with tears. Mark said I was crying for twenty minutes. But to me, those twenty minutes had felt like a lifetime.

Mark had pulled into the parking lot of The Other Side Café when I broke down. I couldn't go to work looking like this; I'm an emotional wreck! Also, I'm twenty minutes late.

Right now, all I wanted - no, all I NEEDED - was to spend sometime with him. His comforting hugs, soothing voice, and rich chocolate eyes were the only things that could possibly make me feel better.

I hesitated a moment before asking Mark to go in and tell Melly that I needed the day off. He nodded, squeezing my hand consolingly before he got out of the car.

I leaned back in the passenger seat of the small blue car as Mark jogged into the diner. I ran a hand through my hair like I always do. I stared at the diner, watching people talk and laugh about who knows what as they ate their breakfast. I saw Mark talking with Melly. She ran into the backroom, leaving Mark to wait at the desk for her.

Mark is to nice to me. I don't deserve his kindness. I'm a mess. Apparently worthless. I can't even express my feelings properly. I act like a love-sick teenage girl desperately trying to muster up the courage to ask out the most popular guy in school. Today. Maybe...today. She would think. Then she'd awkwardly walking up to him. She would always chicken out at the last second, running back to her friends. She'd explain for the twentieth time why she didn't ask him out.

The only difference between me and that teenage girl, was that she had friends to run to. The closest friend I had was Mark. The thought of asking him out made me a little anxious. What would I say? Where? When? I thought. My stomach twisted and turned the more I thought about it, It needs to be perfect. God, I really am a teenage girl.

The sound of the car door opening jarred me from my thoughts. Mark's familiar, handsome face smiled calmly at me as he got into the car. His smile melted all my worries away, and I flashed him a small smile.

"Melly says she hopes you feel better soon," he told me, "and she told me to give you this," he held up my gray hat. I lightened up a bit more, gratefully taking it and positioning it on my head. "I thought I'd lost it!" I said happily, my voice cracking just a bit.

Mark smiled his loving smile again, "She said she found it in the staff room when she came in to work today. You must have forgotten it last night when we went to the arcade," He said as he started the car, not yet putting it into drive. "I'm just glad I didn't leave it at the arcade!" I chuckled, repositioning it a bit.

Then...we just sat, enveloped in awkward silence. I had nothing else to say, and Mark had no response.

"So...what do I do with you?" Mark joked as he tried to break the silence.

I looked at him, a ghost of a smile on my face. "If you still need to work, we should probably head to the Grumpspace" I suggested calmly.

"I don't want to drag you with me into town if you aren't feeling up to it," Mark said. His eyes were filled in concern. He really cares about me...

I shook my head, "Really, I don't mind. I just...don't really want to be alone right now," I chuckled awkwardly. That's not funny, I scolded myself.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I won't be able to hang out with you very much," He replied. My heart sank. That's all I had wanted to do.

I reconsidered for a brief moment, until Mark sarcastically said:

"And Ross might ask to record a Grumpcade episode with you. That would be terrible!"

My eyes sparkled with newfound excitement. "Really? What are you waiting for! Let's go, damn it!" Mark laughed as he put the car in drive, pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

I've always wanted to record with the Grumps!

- - - - -

"JackSepticEye?" Ross exclaimed as I walked through the entryway into the main office. "I didn't expect you to be here today!"

He stood up from his desk and made his way over to me. The large drawing tablet in front of him displayed a sketch of a dolphin and a red dinosaur.

He gave me an uncomfortable hug. "I thought you worked on Sundays?" He asked, walking with me towards the couch.

"I uh- normally do. But, I didn't...I got the day off today," I replied. I really didn't feel like explaining it to Ross. Or anyone, for that matter. I don't need to burden them with my troubles.

"That's great!" He said with a smile. "I've been hoping to get another guest on Grumpcade! Whatta ya say?" The Aussie smirked, nudging me with his elbow.

I smiled and nodded. "Hell yeah! If I get to choose the game!" I exclaimed.

"Fine," Ross agreed begrudgingly. He must've picked out the perfect game. But I had one in mind that I knew I could win with. "The games are in the next room. We'll start recording at around noon, if that works for you," he said, pulling out his phone and setting an alarm.

I nodded again, " Yeah, noon works!" I said, checking the time. I've got a couple hours to waste.

"Great! Make yourself at home! I'll be here working on Gameoverse if you need me!" He said with a grin as he walked back to his desk. I waved politely and entered the next room over, were Ross had said the games were.

It was the kitchen. There were no games in sight, save for a few posters displaying various characters from different games. I looked aroun and noticed Mark, Danny, and Arin sitting at a small dining table in the back eating cereal.

"Oh! There's Jack!" Mark called, waving at him with a smile. Dan looked up and smiled widely at me.

"Hey man!" He said, motioning me over to sit with them at the table. I walked in and sat down beside Mark, grinning.

"'Sup Jack," Arin said casually, his mouth half-full of Lucky Charms. "Want some?" He pointed to the box on the table.

I shook my head politely, "No thanks. I already ate," I looked over at Mark, who was also eating a bowl. He glanced guiltily at me and tried to hide the evidence.

"And so did you," I scolded gently, glaring at Mark. After swallowing the food in his mouth, he apologized.

"I didn't mean to steal yer Lucky Chaarrrms!" He said in quite possibly the worst Irish accent I've ever heard. Everyone laughed, of course. I rolled my eyes with smirk.

"By Jesus, ye can't jus steal an Irishman's hearts, stars, and horseshoes!" I replied with an exaggerated version of my own accent. Arin laughed so hard he nearly choked on his cereal, and Dan had nearly fallen out of his chair.

Mark searched for a wittier comeback, but couldn't think of it in time. This alone made me laugh harder than the other two men at the table.

"Oh, God damn," Dan said, wiping a tear from his eye after his laughter had subsided. "That was fuckin' funny,"

I couldn't help but smile widely at his praise. Then I remembered why I came into the kitchen in the first place.

"By the way, where are your PlayStation games?" I asked, "I'm recording an episode of Grumpcade with Ross later today, and I get to pick out the game."

"Ross always gets to play with the guests," Dan complained before taking another bit of his cereal. He quickly swallowed. "Why don't I join you?" He asked. I nodded happily.

Arin pointed to a door on the left side of the kitchen. "Right through there. They're on the second bookshelf on the right," He said in response to my other question. He took another bite of cereal.

I thanked him and stood up from my seat at the table. "What are you guys gonna play?" Mark asked, standing up to rinse out his empty bowl of cereal in the sink.

"You'll see. And I'm gonna kick his ass at it, just you wait," I boasted with a cheeky grin as I left the room.