Dreams & Other Lost Things {Sequel to B&TBR}

Chapter 11: Tattered Converses.

Dedicated to Glamour_G for the support you've given my story! Thank you so much!

"What were the donuts for, exactly?" I asked as I propped my feet up on the desk in front of me. After throwing all of our balloons out the window and watching them explode on the wall of the neighboring building, Mark brought me back to Mr. Roswell's classroom.

He opened the small box that held two donuts in them. "For us to eat. What else would they be for?" He said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's it? I thought they were a part of your genius plan," I explained. He handed me a donut and took a seat beside me.

"Nope." He grinned. "Donuts are just good for the heart and soul. I thought we both needed one."

"Nice," I mumbled before taking a bite of my donut. We chewed our delicious donuts in silence for a few moments, enjoying them.

"Can I ask you something?" I piped up while clumsily wiping sprinkles off of my chin.

Mark raised an eyebrow. "You just did."

"For real, Mark," I deadpanned, pulling my feet off the desk and letting them drop to the floor.

"Okay, fine," he sighed. "What?"

"Why are you and Mr. Roswell so close?" I blurted. "I mean, you just seem to know each other better than a teacher and a student." I remembered wondering on the first day of class why they seemed so close.

Mark grows silent for a minute or two. He chewed on his donut in silence, leaving my question hanging in the air.

"He's my foster father." I almost didn't hear him when he said it. I was too busy staring off into space hoping I hadn't asked the wrong kind of question. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Besides, I didn't have many friends. I didn't want to lose one instead of gain one. "He has been since I was fifteen. I owe the guy, so when he noticed my drawing capabilities – even if it was technically vandalism, he put me on the fast track straight to here."

"Wow," I whispered at a loss for words. He noticed and smiled kindly, scratching the back of his head.

"I love it here, I just... I don't know. My mind wasn't mentally prepared for all the things that came with it," he explained. I could tell by the way he was talking that this was an important and touchy subject to him.

"You don't like being tied down? Hate the responsibilities?" I guessed.

"Yeah, kind of. How'd you guess?" He laughed nervously, like his big secret was out now.

"Lucky guess. You just don't seem like the type to stay in one place all the time," I told him.

"I've done a lot of stupid things in my life. Roswell's been nothing but nice to me. I don't get the guy. I would've already strangled me. So, I tried this. For him. But that's the only reason. I'm not really the kind of emotional artist type like everyone else is."

"You're a good person, Mark." I stood up to gather my things so I could leave. "Don't let that part change." I kissed his cheek and started walking toward the door.

"Hey, thanks for today," Mark said as I walked away. I shot him a smile and nodded my head.

"Thank you for today," I replied.

I felt much better than I had the last couple days. Asher didn't make my life worse, he just brought me back down to earth where I had to face life. That was not a bad thing in any way, I just needed to find a way to deal with it better than I had the last couple days. Water balloons just happened to be one way.