Toxic (Eminem & Kim)

3. Survival

🎶Mom
I know I let you down
And though you say the days are happy
Why is the power off, and I'm fucked up?
And mom, I know he's not around
But don't you place the blame on me
As you pour yourself another drink and
I guess we are who we are
Headlights shining in the dark night, I drive on
Maybe we took this too far🎶

📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞

I was woken up at 2 a.m by my phone and it surprised me because no one usually called me that late. Not even DeAngelo.

"Hello?" I answered with a yawn.

"Kimberly?"

My full name annoyed me so I knew whoever this was did not know me well.

"Yes?"

"It's Marshall. "

Oh.

Why in hell was he calling me at 2a.m?

"Ok?"

I didn't know what to say so I waited for him to explain but he said nothing so I was forced to rescue us from the awkward silence.

"Did you call about the project?"

"Huh?" He said like he had no idea what I was talking about.

"The presentation."

"Oh yeah, sure. I called about that."

"I checked with the girls and we're meeting from four to five. So I'll be free at six. Is that fine for you?"

"Yeah that's cool. I don't have any shit to do after school."

His voice sounded weird, like he was whispering and didn't want to be heard.

"Do you make it a habit to call in the middle of the night?" I grumbled.

"It's morning princess, midnight is long gone."

"Mashall!" A loud voice called in the background followed by a crash.

"Is everything ok?" I asked worriedly.

I didn't want to get him in trouble and the voice in the background sounded really angry.

"Yeah, I'm straight."

"Would you like to brainstorm now?" I asked because I liked having everything planned to the dot.

"I would like to make out with you," he said in a dead serious voice yet I could here the humor in it.

There was a light, almost teasing tone in his voice that was not present in his usual, serious, don't-fuck-with-me voice.

"I'm no longer an interfering bitch?"

"Oh you still are. But I'm upgrading you to interfering bitch I want to make out with," he said, making me laugh.

I liked this funny, playful side of his. I hadn't even thought it existed and being proved wrong felt good for the first time ever.

"Marshall Bruce Mathers did you steal my damn ph--"

Marshall took a sharp breath and then the line went dead.

Ok?

***

I was so weirded out by what happened with Marshall the next day that I looked for him first thing in the morning but he wasn't in class. I tried to hide my disappointment but Mila saw right through me.

"Are you ok babe?"

"Yeah why?"

"You just look a bit down."