Masqueraded Identities

Chapter Eighteen

Tay and I shuffled to our normal cafeteria table the next morning. I decided not to tell her about the weird events that happened yesterday, mainly because I wanted to avoid the “if he hurts you, I hurt him” and the “you could do better” talks. That, and if she found out the conversation between me and Ryan, she would go cuckoo bananas.

We sat down, and buttered up our muffins. I was just about to take a bite out of mine, when a voice behind me said, “Hey, Phoebe.”

I turned and saw Mark, standing there. He was smiling nervously.

“Hey,” I replied, trying my best to sound casual. Even though, in all reality, I was just as nervous as he looked.

“Can we talk for a sec?” he asked gently.

I nodded. I should have said no. Hell, I should have broken up with him then and there. But if he really was badly bipolar like Ryan said, and he did forget his meds, it would make perfect sense. People have rough days every now and then. You had to give a person a chance to explain first. And if the explanation sounded sketchy, that's when you knew if they were lying or not.

I took a bite of my muffin, and followed him outside the cafeteria.

“I'm sorry. I don't really have much of an excuse for my behavior. I have bipolar disorder pretty bad. I forgot to take my meds yesterday,” he blurted out.

I nodded. “Well, that makes more sense. But why didn't you tell me you had bipolar disorder? I would've understood.”

He shrugged sheepishly. “I didn't wanna scare you off.”

“That would be a lot less scary than your little mood swing yesterday.”

He sighed. “I realize that now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I don't have a better apology, either.”

“Don't worry about it. It makes sense now.”

He wrapped his arms around my neck, and hugged me. We rocked back and forth a bit, and he said, “You're the best,” into my ear.

I smiled and smelled the scent of his cologne, Axe I presumed, and let him hold me.

It was moments like these where I remembered why exactly I was dating him.

Play practice was over, and Mark and I were slowly walking back towards our dorms.

“Ugh, this script is brutal!” I exclaimed.

“I feel ya. I never want to see old English, again,” Mark agreed.

“Don't you mean olden English?” I teased.

“Oh, my apologies, my fair lady. How foolish of thee,” he retorted back.

I giggled. “Cute.”

“Not as cute as you.”

I blushed and stuck my tongue out. “You're a suck up!”

“Nope, just truthful!”

I laughed.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye and smiled.

“How'd you get to be so awesome?” he asked.

“I'm not sure if awesome's the word I'd use, but whatever you say!”

He rolled his eyes. “Seriously. You're different. Special.”

“Special needs?”

“Oh, shut up! You always have to ruin a moment!”

“Make me shut up, then!”