Her Mark

chapter 1 Flying can be embarrassing

Have you ever loved someone so much that their absence makes you feellike a part of you is missing ? Have you even loved someone somuch that when you know they are busy you look at their picture justto get rid of this emptiness inside your heart ? Have you everloved someone so much that it physically and emotionally hurts tostay away from them ? Well I have and I hope you will never makethe mistake I made. I fell in love and I fell hard. Let me start fromthe beginning: the college.

My college life was not that interesting, except for one thing: mylover Mark.

Our first meeting was unexpected, it's the least we can say. We wereboth taking plane to get to New York for our college. As I was neververy comfortable around boys I took my book and dug in without payinghim any attention. He was tall and well built and he had glasses onand damn he looked eatable but I was never going to admit it. I hadgrown up with two over protective brothers who made sure I stay awayfrom men or as they say ''horny fuckers''.

The plane had turbulence at first I was scared but then they gotwilder and scary. I literary saw my whole life before my eyes and Idon't know why I grabbed Mark's hand and spilled all my secrets:

"-I killed the neighbor dog when I was ten I gave him a rock andthat idiot ate it I swear I didn't want him to die and I didn't knowhe would eat it. And I crashed dad's car against a tree when I wasfourteen I just wanted to learn how to drive but neither Jim orJeremy wanted to teach me so I took the matter into my own hands. Noone stole the car I crashed it. I don't like fish but my grannyalways made it with so much love I couldn't say no to her even thoughI hate every single bite of it. And I'm not a virgin unlike what myfamily believes I lost my v card to Sam the high school hottest guy.I know it was stupid but with Jim and Jeremy no one wanted me so Iflirted with Sam and it worked damn I can't believe I was stupidenough to let him to that to me he didn't even make me scream like hepromised can you believe that?! His fucking reputation was just afucking lie."

I was out of breath so I stopped talking to breath a bit. Butsuddenly the plane was stable and I realized what I have just done.I've spilled my most guarded secrets to a complete stranger. I lookedat him ready to apologize when he stopped me and said:

"the flight was rough, it's all okay now you can relax. Don't beembarrassed"

I nodded and took my book and pretending to read it for the last 15minutes of our flight because I was just too damn embarrassed to facehim. Like who the fuck talks about v card with a stranger? Thank Godwe aren't going to meet again.

Or so I thought, just imagine my surprise when at my first party Imet Mark for the second time, looking all hot and cute with hisglasses on and a button blue shirt and jeans. We were both surprisedwhen we met again. I all but ran out of the room as if the GrimReaper was after me. I saw in his eyes that he had recognized me andI was dead scared that he'll make fun of me in front of everyone. Imean I have just started college I need to "fit in" and itcouldn't happen if everyone knows that I have killed a dog, crashedand stolen a car and lost my V-card.

Our third meeting was less dramatic, I was at the nearest Starbucksfrom the University. When my name was called I stood up and went tothe counter. But here stood Mark with my coffee in his hand. My firstthoughts were I should leave college change my name and leave NewYork or even better leave the country and never come back.

"Hey stranger long time no see, it's funny it's our third meetingand I just learnt your name was Lila. It's pretty unusually that onmy third meeting with a girl it's not her name that I learn but hersize".

I took me exactly 3 seconds to understand what he meant and OMG! Didhe just understated that he does at the third meeting with a girlwhat I think he does. Nevertheless, I pretended that I didn't care. Itook my cup from his hand and said:

"I should leave I have class..

No you don't you re just trying to avoid me is it because of thisloser Sam?"

Oh My God he did not he just did not bring Sam into this. Is it hisway to rub all my secrets on my face. When I glared at him, he lookedat me amused. Yes I repeat amused, with this smile, the Cheshire catsmile. Just when I was about to answer the waiter called out Mark'sname and that's how I learnt his name. Funny isn't it? Two peoplelearning each others' names on the third meeting. When he got hiscoffee, he turned towards me and said.

"you mind if I join you for coffee I hate to drink alone

that's not alcohol

you have a such pervert mind do you always think about what happensafter five?

what does that even mean?

Nothing let's drink Lila

Ah well I would love to aaaahh Marcus right?

Almost Lena but you added a few letters

Ah oups I mean sorry Mac

Lily you should consider some parties it will light you up

it's so thoughtful of your Mandy

Ah so you are one of those?

One of what

Those who hide their embarrassment behind sarcasm, so the one infront of them feels stupid. Does that give you a sense ofsuperiority? By belittling me you feel less embarrassed or perhapsashamed?

Okay doctor, I think we should stop here.

But you haven't finished your coffee, and I do like to call you withdifferent names. By the way, I'm studying business and you?

I'm into human development

See we can have a civil conversation without you blunting out yoursecrets or running away or being sarcastic."

From that day my faith was sealed. It took us a month before going ona proper date and since then we have been inseparable. After collegewe decided to get married. Mark was from a middle class family, andhe always dreamed big, he wanted to establish his own business and Idid everything I could to help him. I worked two jobs one as alecturer and second in an NGO as I had majored in human development.Thanks to these two jobs and plus Mark's job as a manager in a store,we were able to spare enough to invest in his business. Very quicklywe became rich and slowly we were becoming part of the New Yorkelite. But everything changed in the blink of an eye.