Mark's Roommate

Wingman

Chapter 73-

"No you're not," Mark insists. He starts to open the door.

"Ahhh, why aren't you still with Charlotte?" He stops opening the door and remains on the other side. 

"She was tired and needed to do some stuff for work tomorrow.  I figured leaving her be for the night would be okay. Probably a good thing..." 

"I'm fine. Just got a little nauseous not a big deal," I try to reassure him. He opens the door and looks at me with a straight face. 

"Kiera. I've lived with you for quite a long time. Couple years now, and I know when you're okay and when you're not. The bathroom reeks of puke and I know you really only get sick when you're anxious. What's upsetting you?" 

Wow, right okay...

"Just...people," I say. How the hell do I explain this to him?

"Online?"

"Technically."

"I don't understand..."

"Umm, well...Like Jack and Aaron..." I cringe as I say the words. My stomach clenches a bit too.

"Oh. Oh. Oh! Okay, well um...what's troubling you?"

I sit up and wrap myself in the blanket. Mark sits on the floor and faces me, concern and brotherly love in his expression.

"Well...The night Charlotte came and spent the night the first time, I started talking to Jack a lot. We've been talking a lot today, for a couple hours actually. It was nice. We Skyped, just yeah...So after we talked, and it was great, I realized how much I was like sort of fangirling over him. But not like in a fan girl way. In like a 'I like you a lot way'. And then a few minutes later, Aaron called. It was fine and then I brought up when he visited. And it got reaaaalllly awkward. Like, more than it should be. And then I ended the conversation and said he should go to bed and then he did. I then started to think everything over, both of them, and I...panicked."

Mark looks at me with deep concern. He mulls over everything I told him and debates to himself. I think about it more, how weird Aaron acted. 

"Like he shouldn't have acted off right?" I ask Mark. He doesn't respond.

"Am I nuts for freaking out about this? I don't know!" 

"Why am I worried so much about something like this?"

"Kiera..."

"Like, I don't know why all of a sudden this is coming up! Like I'm fine normally?"

"Kiera..."

"Oh god..." My stomach rumbles and I sprint to the bathroom. I hurl again and Mark follows me and brings the blanket. I finish and sit back. 

"Kiera..."

"I'm sorry. This is childish."

"No, it's okay. Just take a deep breath."

"I'm so sorry. You don't need to worry about me."

"Kiera," he makes me look at him, "I'm going to worry about you because you're my best friend. Look into my eyes and convince yourself that I don't care. I dare you to try. What is going on in your head, I'm not totally sure why it's happening, but I'll help you. That's what I'm here for. That and making dick jokes at the worst of times."

I laugh.

"I'm sorry. I think part of it is...feeling weird because Charlotte's over all the time. But I like her! It's just like...I'm stuck to my room and the office and that's as far as I can go. I'm happy for you, I really am.  But part of me feels like a burden in my own home because she's around. Like if I had someone, I could be at their place when she's here or have them over. Or I could move out even...without someone I'm say...."

"Kiera! No way in hell are you moving out!....I'm sorry that I've been making you feel bad and uncomfortable around here. Is that why you mentioned going to her place...?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I'll talk to her about spending time at her place. But as for this," he gestures around, "I'll help you as best as I can. I don't know what I could do about your internal conflict, but I'll try my best. If I must be, I will take on the duty of being your wingman."

"Mark..."

"Kiera, I'm not joking. But for tonight, go to bed. Take a break and let your brain rest."

I nod, "Okay." I get up to lay down and Mark follows. He makes sure I'm settles then leaves and closes the door. I lay, staring at the ceiling, unable to shut my brain off. My mind won't shut off, it rushes with anxious thoughts of Jack and Aaron. It takes three hours to finally shut my brain off and slip into a light and anxious sleep. 

I wake up the next morning to a hungry stomach, so I stand up, wrap the blanket around myself, and venture out to the kitchen. I still don't feel very well, but maybe some food is what I need at this point. Mark isn't awake, I can tell because his room is quiet and the light is off, and no one's in the office. I'd hear him. The kitchen is nearly empty, open and desolate boxes, dirty dishes with nothing on them. I rummage, trying to keep quiet.

"Hey...what gives?" I hear Mark say. I pop up and look at him. 

"Sorry..."

"It's fine. Hungry? I can make you something if you need..." He offers. My luck for finding something easy isn't going as to plan so I nod. 

"Go sit down on the couch, it won't be long." I do as I'm told and stare at the TV, even though it's off.

"Are you feeling okay? You seem upset," Mark says from the counter. 

"Yeah."

"You're lying again, Kiera."

"I'm sorry. I don't know." 

"Want to talk out what's on your mind?"

"Yeah... I guess just...I don't know why I'm so worried all of a sudden about being with someone. And more importantly, someone who isn't from the country. Like both Jack and Aaron live in Europe, England and Ireland respectively. But...like...I like them both. For different reasons too. Like I've met Aaron and spent quality time with him and stuff. But I get along better with Jack, without much history. And the more I think about how Aaron reacted...it's concerning. Like...where is he at with that? Why did he get so stand offish when I mentioned it. We haven't talked about it...or talked in general...since he was here. I'm so concerned that maybe he doesn't actually like me and that's why I've gotten to get to know Jack. It's just like...I hate it!"

"Kiera..." He says with great concern again, trailing off as I continue. 

"I hate it so much! I wish it would go away, feeling like this. It makes me feel so weird. I hate it, hate, hate, hate it!"

"Kiera!" My head snaps towards him, "please clam down. You're upsetting yourself too much over this." As he finishes his sentence, he hands me a plate of toast and butter with fruit and some yoghurt. 

"Thanks," I nod. Mark sits on the coffee table in front of me and puts his hands together. 

"I want you to be happy. And I want you to feel comfortable in the house again. I love having you as a roommate and wouldn't want to lose you in my life. I think...I think you should look for someone who is here, in LA. Maybe a friend from here. Like Jordan or..."

"But I don't want Jordan or someone from here!"

"Okay, but Kiera, see what you're doing to yourself? You're making yourself physically ill and that's not what should be happening. I'll play as your wingman, like you did for me."

"But Mark..."

"Kiera! Listen to me! I won't let you go through with that because I don't want you to feel sad because you can't be with them when you need them most. I can only do so much but I HIGHLY advise that you see people here. We can go to the bar, hang out with our friends around here...anything. But I really want you to broaden your horizons here before you jump into something long distance. Please."

I mull it over. It makes sense, it's not what I want, but it's the most practical. And Mark seems stuck on the idea. I nod, "Okay. But...can we wait a couple days. I just..."

"Yeah, we can wait. How about we co op and play something of your choice. We can record it even."

"Okay..." I nod. That sounds like the proper break I need.