Satellites

Sixteen

        Evan was very glad to see me, so glad that he even jumped just to hug me. Mark’s mom’s pretty cool – middle aged, but truly cool. We all hung out for a bit until Evan and his mom had to go home. Evan fell asleep on the Caterpillar and well you can piece it together from there.

“So what now?” I ask.

“Let’s sit and get to know each other more”

“Oh alright”

            We got a bunch of food: fries, two foot longs, two milkshakes, two double cheese burgers, a plate of pie, and a bottle of water. Welcome to America people! We find a table a bit distant from the carnival itself, but it was decorated with lights and flowers so I’m guessing it’s still a part of it.

“So Mr. Argent, what do you want to know about me?”

“You said you were a delinquent, tell me about that”

I smiled at the memories and began telling him. He laughed at it of course – I reckon he likes people’s pain; he’s almost certainly a sadist. That didn’t bother actually, and I don’t even know why.

“Now tell me Mark, is it true that you break hearts for fun?”

He let out a shaky breath. “Okay, I was kidding when I said “what you heard about me is probably true” and –“

“Shut up and answer Mark” I say flatly.

“Alright, that’s a no. I broke up with Sophia because I know I freaked her out at that party and I didn’t want to drag it on any longer. I felt so horrible when Bela told me about what I did and honestly I wish I didn’t say it, damn alcohol – fucking sophomore. I was a screw up at that time. I don’t even know why I’m a senior right now.”

        Wow, just wow. I didn’t even realize this side of the story. “How about you hooking up with a bunch of girls and manipulating people?!” my voice pitched, gosh relax Kat.

“Hooking up with – dude, I’m not a fucking man whore. Those girls I “supposedly” hooked up with, they came to me for help. A bunch of them needed advice with their boyfriends because their relationships were falling apart or just someone to listen. And the manipulating people part, yeah that’s true, I get what I want when I want, but it’s not the way it seems. If I used it for evil, I’d be the most unstoppable person everywhere.”

“You sound like a super hero right there in the end” I laughed.

“You just killed my vibe Kat” he looks at me with false disappointment and then we both burst out laughing.

“So, everything isn’t true about you?”

“Anything that has to do with dating – you need to hear my side and anything that has to do with girls – you still need to hear my side. Everything else, yes, they’re true.”

“So threatening to knife a teacher?”

“I lost it, as in literally; I had no control at all”

“Pff I know the feeling” I smile at the memory of Jacob.

***

            We ended up talking about everything else; from favorite bands to favorite actors and so on. I swear I’m really not ever going to judge a book by its cover. I said the same thing about Carly, but now I’m more entitled to it. My phone beeps – Kellin.

“Gah, I have to go” I mumble, shoving my phone back in my pocket.

“I see, come on”

            We throw our trash away and began heading back to the Ring Toss. I feel a tap on my shoulder and it was some guy. He had paint brushes on his shirt pocket and had a barrette on. He didn’t say anything, just handed me a giant canvas. I unfold it and there was a painting of me and Mark at the table.