The Love Album Series: Ride -BWWM- (SLOW UPDATES)

12

-Strange by Mild Orange-

"I told you, I told you, I told you!" laughed Denise in the passenger seat of the van. She was laughing so hard; she almost couldn't breathe. "I'll admit, Alex being into you was not what I was expecting, but I knew something was up with them."

As soon as everything went down, they packed their bags and ditched.

"Can we not talk about this? Ever?" Mark shivered. "I mean, how are you not weirded out about this?"

"I've been hit on by women, plenty of times. You were in prison for God's sake, didn't guys -" realizing how big and scary he looked, Denise shook her head, "never mind. Either way, you gotta admit, this is all kind of funny."

Silence fell over the two as Mark thought about everything.

Though he felt violated, even he could admit, the situation was kind of comical.

He started laughing, and Denise joined in.

The two laughed together for a minute, ending in happy sighs.

"Okay, we need to get a hold of ourselves," Denise wiped the tears that welled in her eyes, "we are we going now?"

"Well, we're in Maine," Mark shrugged. "Mine as well get some lobster."

They head to J's Oysters by the pier and have the dinner of their lives. They just about ordered the whole menu. They had lobsters, clams, oysters with lobster stuffing, oysters with spinach, cheese, and bacon, oysters with a light cheese topping, shrimp, scallops, clam chowder, and lobster stew.

By the end, they were stuffed and tired.

But they decided to walk the pier instead, and have a smoke break.

With her heels in her hand, Denise leaned on the railing of the pier, inhaling her cigarette.

A few feet away, Mark was on the phone, booking a hotel. Once he finished, he went over and stood next to Denise.

"Our room will be ready when we get there."

"Good," Denise passed him the cigarette. "I need a hot shower and a bed."

"I need a toilet," said Mark, making Denise laugh.

Mark shook his head, "its crazy."

"What?" Denise took the cigarette.

"You're just so real that I'm comfortable around you. I feel like I could say anything, and you wouldn't freak out."

"What can I say? I've seen a lot in my life. Nothing surprises me anymore."

"Hm," Mark put his gaze on the water. "It sucks though because you don't feel comfortable around me. At least you act like you don't."

"I told you," Denise blew smoke into the air. "It's just not my thing. I'd rather suffer and die than put my feelings on someone else. I refuse to be a liability."

"Who told you that?" Mark looked at her.

"Told me what?"

"That you were a liability. No one would think such things about themselves unless someone told them. Even when it's good things."

"Listen to you, Gandi," Denise rolled her eyes, taking a puff of the cigarette.

Mark smirks and pulls his keys out of his pocket.

"Well, you won fair and square."

"I sure did."

As they exchanged the keys for the cigarette, the keys fell onto the ground.