The Three Of Us (Lauren/You)

| 12 | Malicious Intent

Your POV

"Y/N!"

Before I could stand up from the bench, I felt Marco's arms wrap around my side. I hugged him back, glad that I finally saw my little devil. After several days of avoiding him, I decided that it wasn't my place to burden Marco with my insecurities. He didn't know about the tension between Luis and I after all.

We sat back down with him asking how I've been and how my work was going along. I tried so hard to lengthen my answers, afraid that if there was a lull in the conversation, Marco would begin talking about the inevitable. I could only delay it after all and it wasn't long before he finally uttered those dreaded words.

"Y/N! Y/N! I met my dad last week," he said with so much enthusiasm that I felt my heart clench.

"I—is that so?" I stuttered. "That—that's great!"

"I know, right? And his name is Luis. I should have known."

"What do you mean?"

He turned to me, smiling. "Well, my full name is Marco Luis Jauregui. Well actually, I guess it's Santos now. But isn't it cool? I was named after my dad!"

It hurts to know that Luis is more of a part of Marco's life than I initially thought. The boy was partially even named after him. Even if I fooled myself that nothing changed between my relationship with Marco, his smile when talking about his father would immediately tear that façade.

"How are you and your dad?"

Marco looked up from his juicebox and tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean has he explained to you why he left?"

His eyes fell to the ground. "I asked him about it but be wouldn't tell me anything more than what he told the class during show and tell." Marco's eyes met mine. "Where were you by the way? I expected you to come."

"O—oh I—"

"Oh don't worry, it doesn't matter. Luckily my dad was there. Plus he's the president of a toy company! How cool is that?"

"P—pretty cool."

Marco began talking more about his father, retelling me of stories Luis told Marco during his stay in France. The excitement was evident in his voice and all I could do was smile and nod. It was torture for me to pretend that I was happy for him.

But it was also selfish of me if I told him to stop.

"—and then, and then, he told me I'd get to visit the toy factory!"

"In France?" I asked.

"Oui," he replied, grinning. Just the thought of Marco being miles away from me was torture enough. But for that to really happen? I don't know what I'd do.

"Are you not angry at him?"

The unintended question slipped past my lips. Marco eyed me curiously then looked away. "I should, shouldn't I? Maybe I should punch and kick and demand him to tell me why he left. But oddly enough, I don't."

Marco turned to me and smiled. "It doesn't matter if he left then because at least he's back now, right?"

I bit my lip, preparing my heart for his answer to my next question. "Do you want to be a family with him and your mom again?"

He threw his empty juicebox at the trash can and shot it straight inside. "That's every child's dream, isn't it?"

I had no words for him anymore. How could I? He just basically told me he wanted a family that included Luis. Over a family that included me, he would pick the one blood related to him, right?