He Was A Ten

The Truth Comes Out

When I woke up, almost everyone else was sort of falling asleep. I say sort of because apparently sometime between me falling asleep and me waking up they had decided to put on a horror movie, so pretty much anytime one of the characters started screaming, they jolted up before sinking back into the chairs. Marcus was the only one who looked like he was fully awake, totally absorbed in the movie.

I sat up for second, trying to get some of the hair out of my face. Marcus turned away from the screen and leaned away so I had more space, bumping into Alice, causing a chain reaction that ended in a lot of groaning and asking what was on right now.

"I think it's called 'Lights Out'," Marcus said, relaxing back into the couch, refocusing on the movie.

I rolled my eyes. "Figures you'd pick horror."

"You really base people on first impressions, huh?"

I mentally face palmed. "Uh, yeah, guess so."

"Guess so?" Marcus chuckled. "You sure you're actually awake?"

I leaned back and kicked him in the shoulder, using him to help push myself off the couch. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

"Where you going?" Marcus asked, standing up.

"Um, snacks?" I blurted out. I needed to leave for a second. I didn't need Marcus to realize I knew about his family. I didn't want him to feel like I was lying to him, especially after we both admitted to liking each other.

"I'll help," he offered, following me into the kitchen.

Well, fuck. Just fuck.

"You okay?" Marcus asked once we were in the kitchen. "You seem nervous."

Screw it. "IknowaboutyourparentsandIdidn'tmeanto,butIdid,andI'msorryifyoudon'ttrustmeanymore,butyeah."

Marcus blinked. "What?"

I sighed and pushed some of the hair out of my face. "I, um, kinda know about your parents. But I didn't mean to! I just, I called you the night before the dance because I had noticed that you looked really similar to Johnny Bones and Lady Stitches because of this school project I had been doing, I just needed to know. The first time it went to voicemail and I wasn't going to try again, but I guess I accidentally pressed it and you must've answered, because I heard you talking to Hattie about you guys trying to stop them. I haven't told anyone that I know, not even Hattie. I'm really sorry. Seriously."

Marcus' face looked really pale. "Y-you know? And you still like me? How? This is all some joke, isn't?"

"No! Of course it isn't a joke. I meant it. I like you," I said, blushing. "After everything you've done to protect me and keep me safe, and just getting to know you, I figured I trusted that person, so why let their parents change that? You're still the same person. And until you give me a reason to believe that you're anything like them, then I don't think it matters that your parents are Johnny Bones and Lady Stitches."

Marcus pulled me into a tight hug, holding me close. "Thank you."

I started to hug him back when I heard the sound of glass hitting the ground and shattering. I jumped and spun around. Marcus pulled me back, stepping in front of me.

Alice was standing in front of us, mouth hung open in shock, her hands still out to hold the bowl that now lay shattered at her feet. "What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On."

I looked at Marcus. "Um-"

"You guys okay?" Cindy asked, walking up behind Alice.

"Damn girl, I told you to just leave the bowl until the movie was over," Hattie commented, bending down to help Cindy start picking up glass.