42nd Country Road

Candles

I woke up in the dark room again. Mark was gone and his half of the bed was cold. I stood up and walked toward the door. Hovering my hand over the handle. I grabbed it and turned it, being prepared to encounter the blaring lights. I opened my eyes to see the lights off and candles lining the floor.

"Mark?" I squeaked out.

"In here!" He called back. I saw him smiling from the kitchen with Jack and Steven by his side. He had a candle in hand.

"Why did you do this?" I asked.

"We didn't want you to be condemned to one room," He replied setting the candle down and walking over to me.

"What?" I asked

"I heard you last night, I know how you feel," He said, holding my hand. I smiled, starting to tear up.

"Thank you," I choked out. He wiped a tear off my cheek.

"Don't cry, baby," He said. I crawled into his embrace, "No, please don't cry,"

"What? I'm not crying," I laughed. Wiping a tear from my cheek. Jack and Steven just laughed at me.

"Do you guys want to go to your rooms?" Mark said to Jack and Steven.

"Ya sure," They both replied. They walked down the hallway, playfully shoving each other in the process. I held Mark tighter.

"Thank you," I whispered into his chest.

"I will do anything for you," He said. I looked up at him, his eyes sparkling.

"I love you," I said meaningfully

"I love you too," He said. I kissed him. He placed his hands on my waist.

"You need sleep, Mark," I said. Letting go of his lips.

"No," He said

"Yes," I said walking him back to our room, I laid him down on the bed.

"Ev," He said as I started to leave, "Your concussion,"

"I'll be okay, I'm going to take a bath," I said. He relaxed on the bed, "if you want, when I'm done, I can lay with you," He perked up.

"That would be great," He said. I nodded an okay, grabbed some clothes and headed out the door. I walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind me, leaning gently on the door frame.

I set my clothes on the counter. I turned on the faucet and ran my hand under the water. It felt so nice, the heat on my delicate skin. I took off my clothes and laid down in the hot water. I drenched my hair and covered it in shampoo. It felt so weird to finally be clean. I grabbed the bar of soap and ran it over me, scrubbing the grime off. I got out off the bath and got dressed again. I wiped off the fogged mirror and looked at myself. I looked clean, almost normal. The only thing that was different was the pain in my eyes. I left dressed in jeans and black tank top. I went back to the room and crawled into bed with Mark. He put his arm around me.

"You smell good," He said

"Thanks," I said. He pulled me onto his chest. I curled into a ball, my head under his chin. I fell asleep yet again.