Can't - Mark Tuan Fan fic

20 - Mark III

After I saw the picture of Lara and that guy in Cristina's phone, I've had sleepless nights. I've been arguing with myself whether or not to go on with my plan. I haven't called Lara cause I'm still angry. I don't know what I would tell her. I might not stop myself from cursing her to hell and I wouldn't want that. I still have to consider that she's sick. 

I've called my friends back home and asked one of them, Jason, to check out whatever he can about her and Cristina and who the guy might be. I ask Noe, another friend of mine, to go to Michigan and 'spy' on her. Based on the picture I just saw, she might be in Ann Arbor. I was there just two years ago and I THINK the place looks familiar. So, I ask him to start there. 

The first callback I receive is from Noe. He's been there for three days now. 

"Anything?" I ask, feeling impatient. Apart from wanting to know if she's still with that guy, I also want to find out how she is, how her medication is going. Although I'm mad at her, I'm still concerned. 

"I have something. It's..." he pauses for a while, maybe gauging how I would react. 

"What?" I snap, couldn't wait to know what's going on. 

"Alright. So, I started to look at the hospitals in the area. There's no record of her. I called some people I know, but, there's no patient under that name with her condition in any of the hospital in the state."

"What does that mean?"

"It's either she used a different name, or she's not really sick. Mark, I think she's been lying about her sickness the whole time."

"That's not possible." I can't believe what I'm hearing. 

"What's not possible, Mark? We told you since the first time you introduced that girl to us that you need to do a background check on her, right? Remember I told you I think I saw her in rehab before when I visited my brother?" 

"I asked her that, ok. But, she said it wasn't her." I try to defend her...or maybe myself for being stupid that time. 

"And you believed her just because she was crying. Damn it, Mark. Open your eyes will ya? She's bad news, I'm telling you. I saw her."

"And?"

"I know a patient receiving treatment if I see one. I grew up taking care of my grandfather who had cancer. And Lara didn't seem like she's ill."

"That doesn't prove anything."

"Fuck, Mark. The medication would make people really week after a few sessions. And she didn't seem weak to me."

"What if she's just able to endure it?" I don't know why I'm even thinking of reasons for her. 

"Just look for yourself. I don't know if it's the guy, man. I'll send you a pic."  

I receive the picture instantly. "It's him." It's a picture of both of them hand in hand going in a building. She looks really healthy though. She's even smiling brightly up at the guy beside him. "When did you take this?"

"Just earlier today. Now, do you still believe that lying bitch?"

So....she really is cheating on me. It wasn't just one kiss. She's fucking left me here to be with him. She lied about being sick, too. 

There are no more tears. I've cried them all out the first night. I'm just angry now. What are Lara and Cristina planning? What about me? Is she just hear to keep me busy while Lara fools around? Was Cristina's concerns about Lara being sick really just an act? If so, I applaud her. She looked really genuine. But, now that I know the truth, they won't fool me any longer.