since eighth grade. → markiplier

Chapter Six: Boston

Chapter Six: Boston

Elliot

The car drive isn't exactly awkward, but the silence passed between me and Mark doesn't sit with me as well as it used to. I keep my eyes glued to outside world beyond the window, my head resting on my hand. I can't believe that he had kissed me. Well, I had kissed him back, but I still can't believe it. He leant in and, undeniably, I had enjoyed the blissful moment. It wasn't in the environment or situation as I had hoped, but it was romantic all the same. After all that's happened between us, I can't believe he... he went through with it.

My eyelids become a little heavier, and it isn't long until I'm consumed by the darkness. I am woken suddenly, though, by the buzzing of my phone. With a sigh, I pull it out of my pocket and see that the face of my brother pops up on the screen. I answer it, pressing the mobile to my ear.

"Hello?" I say, pressing a hand to my head. I push my hand through my hair, blinking rapidly to try and feel less groggy.

"Elliot. It's me," My dad says, and I freeze. My blood turns to ice, every strand of my hair that I was brushing my hand through was gradually falling from my grasp. I open my mouth to say something, but find my throat locking. "Your brother. He's been in an accident on... our trip to Boston. This is the only way I could contact you. I'll text you the address to the hospital." He cuts the call after this, and I drop the phone in my lap.

"Ellie?" Mark says, stopping the car outside of the apartments. I feel warmth brewing in my eyes and know that I am on the verge of crying. "Elliot!" I find it difficult to talk, my mouth opening but no words passing my lips. As soon as the first tear falls, I viciously wipe it away with my sleeve and dive out of the car.

I press my hands to my face and lean against the car, trying to untangle my thoughts. How did my dad get my brothers phone? Surely if it was a major accident, the police would have taken it for evidence. Was he present at the accident? Did he cause the accident? Did he put my brother in the hosp-

"Elliot!" Mark says loudly, standing beside me. I snap out of it, pulling my hands slightly away from my face. At this moment, I wish I had my glasses so I could cover most of my eyes behind them. "What's wrong?" He asks, planting his hands on my shoulders. I find my voice after looking into his eyes, finding that they sober me up from my sudden state of depression.

"...My brother. He... he's had an accident in Boston." I tell him, my voice wavering a little.

"Boston?" He asks, a little confused because he thinks that my brother lives here in Ohio.

"Yeah. He – He was on a trip. My... dad called me about it." I tell him, swallowing back the lump that forms in my throat.

"Oh, shit. What're you going to do?" He asks me, still not releasing his grasp on my shoulders.

Mark

"I need to get a flight to Boston first thing tomorrow morning." She tells me, and I process the words.

"Are you sure? Do you want me to come with you?" I ask, feeling slightly worried about her going to Boston on her own to see her brother and, most likely, her dad. She shakes her head at this, and I feel my stomach drop a little.

"I don't know how long I'll be there for. You might need to be back in LA by then." She says, and the realization hits me like I just walked into a brick wall.

"But... Boston and LA are on the opposite sides of the country. That's at least a six hour flight." I point out, feeling my chest tighten at the thought.

"You'll be fine. You can stay in my apartment for as long as you need." She says, and that's when she begins shivering. I don't know if it's because of the slight cold or because she is crying, but I take her back to the apartment with my arm around her anyway. I know she said that I'll be fine, which I'm sure I probably will be, but I fear that she won't be.