Smile - CrankGameplays

31. Marked

"Can I see you?"

The words rang in Reese's ears as she stepped over to her bedroom window and pulled back the blinds, spotting Tucker's big truck parked in her driveway.

Her words got caught in her throat, "W-wait, what are you...? Tucker..."

"Please," he whispered over the line as she released the blinds and headed for her desk, eyeing the darkened laptop screen.

"I have a paper to write,"

"Reese, baby."

She squeezed her eyes at his words, feeling uncomfortable with the pet name he decided to call her. This wasn't right. She was just with Ethan nearly twenty-four hours ago, Tucker can't be popping out of anywhere like this, not after everything they discussed.

"You have to make it quick, okay?"

"I will, I promise."

Reese took a deep breath, "I'll come down to your car."

Tucker reluctantly agreed, "Okay,"

She shrugged her phone into the pocket of her jacket, closing the door behind her. She hobbled down the staircase and saw her other housemates crowd around in the kitchen. None of them knew the extent of her complicated relationship besides Sof because it was something she liked to keep private. Reese was never one to talk about things like this because she just didn't feel comfortable sharing the information with anyone else.

It wasn't until recently she started expressing the complications in her relationship with Tucker because there was always something that felt off... and she knew what it was but the idea of talking about it with someone else always made her feel better.

Even if her gut was always right.

"I'll be right back," she called to her friends and the group of girls all turned their heads to meet the voice.

Sofia perched up, "Where to?"

Reese bit her inner cheek, "Cornerstore. I need... uh, batteries."

"Okay!"

Reese rushed to the front door and hurried outside into the brisk air. December was quickly approaching and the rainy season of November proved to reveal that snow would be arriving rather quickly. She crossed her arms over chest and hurried over to his truck.

He leaned on the passenger side door, looking somewhat douchey in his slouch.

"Morning," the cool air emitted from his mouth, "Want to go inside? I'll turn the heater on for you. Full blast. Just how you like it."

She shook her head, "I feel fine!"

"You're shivering," he soothed, placing his arm on her shoulder, "Just go inside the truck."

"Tucker, I'm fine."

"Babe..." he stopped himself and shook his head, "Reese, I mean Reese," he tightened the grip on her shoulder, "Please get inside the car, I promise you'll feel a lot better."

She stood her ground, "I said I don't want to."

"What's gotten into you?" he confronted, taking the palms of his hands and pressing them to her cold cheeks, "You're freezing."

The weight of the guilt fell down upon her as she stepped out of his grasp, "Stop that."

"You're being so weird, are you not telling me something?"

She bit her tongue, afraid to tell the truth. He deserved to know, she would want to know if he had gone off with another girl, even if it wasn't her business. They had such a long relationship and she felt awful for keeping something like this from him. Tucker was trying to win her over... she knew this. Even though his attempts couldn't persuade the true feelings she felt in her heart about the other, she still felt terrible for spending the night with Ethan.