My Father's Best Friend

Chapter 7

Aria's P.O.V.

"Yes, thank you. Okay, I will see you soon? Mhm, yep, bye!" I hang up the phone with my old friend, Carrie.

Besides Emily, she's the only one who knows about what I'm going through with Mark. Well, I wouldn't necessarily say any of us knows, because I'm still pretty confused. I don't know. It just feels like everything's sorta always out of place, and no matter how hard I try, I can never fix it. And then I go and do something stupid, and I make things worse.

Carrie, Emily, and I are meeting at a cute café downtown to talk about it and catch up. I need to get my mind off things.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of a car horn, and I quickly go at the sight of a green light.

After a few minutes, I pull up to the café and see Carrie and Emily laughing. I wave to them and shut my car door, and almost squeal of excitement. I haven't seen Carrie in months.

"Hey stranger! Long time no see!" I laugh and hug Carrie. We sit down at a table and soon our coffee comes and it's time for me to spill the beans about Mark. I play with the ends of my hair and look down and they look at me eagerly, awaiting my next move. I chuckle nervously, and begin.

"Well what do you wanna know? There's not much to tell..." I blush.

"EVERYTHING! Come on Ar, you've been acting weird the past few weeks and you called us crying last night. We're here for you, sweetie!"

I start off with the day he came back from his trip, and how I had dinner with him, then go on to tell about how hurt I was when I saw his secretary kissing him and him running after me, and about his mom, and finally say what happened last night.

"It just seemed so...right, you know? Like, from another perspective, it was completely inappropriate and I totally get that, I even feel that way now. But I didn't last night. He was being so nice and I...I wanted to be nice back. We didn't even kiss and it's not like we've never hugged or kissed on the cheek or did anything on a low level of intimacy, but last night was different. I want to talk to him, and just be friends with him. It didn't mean anything, right? We don't have feelings for each other. That's for sure. He was upset, and I was sorry for him, and I got lost in the moment. Are you guys okay?"

I stop because I see them gaping at something behind me, and Emily looks like she wishes I would stop talking.

I turn around, and my heart almost leaps out of my chest. He is standing right there. What the hell is he doing here?!? He lives around here, so I guess that might be why. I can't breathe. Oh god, Mark heard everything I said. I feel a lump form in my throat, and I have to hold back tears. I feel caught. I always cry when I am embarassed. I can't let him see me cry. I can't. Not over him.

Of course, this would happen to me. See what I mean? Nothing goes right. I think I am going to have a panic attack. Calm down, Aria. Calm down.

I break eye contact with him because I don't know what else to do, and whip out my wallet. Pulling out a $10 bill, I slap it on the table, fake a smile, and direct my attention back towards Emily and Carrie.

"This should be enough, right? Anyway, I've gotta be going now. See you soon."

I walk right past Mark and don't look at him once, like I don't even know him. The sigh solicited from him pains my chest. I hear footsteps behind me quickening their pace. I know he's trying to catch up to me, but I don't want him to. Tears are brimming my eyes and the feeling stirring in the pit of my stomach is unbearable.

I want to be alone, and if I wanted to be around anyone, Mark would be at the bottom of the list. It's pouring rain and my mascara is running, partly from my tears and partly from the rain and it's taking everything in me not to break down right then and there.

Why did I have to park my car so damn far?! Getting in shape my ass. I am never trying this again. I reach my car and am about to open the door when a strong hand turns me around. Mark is soaking wet, his arm leaning on my car, he's towering over me. His shirt is sticking to him, and he looks...determined.

I take a deep breath, and try my hardest not to cry.

Don't cry, Aria. Don't cry. You are strong. Please don't cry.

"What are you so afraid of?" he says quietly.

I don't understand what he means. What the hell is he talking about? God, it's raining cats and dogs, and he wants to know my fucking phobias? Not the time, Mark. Not the time.

"What?" I say.

"You heard me. Tell me what you're scared of."

"I hate spiders. I'm scared of...of being shot in the back of the head, I don't like scary movies all that much, drowning, and-" I am cut off.

"That's not what I mean."

I sigh heavily and shake my head, not believing this is actually happening.

"Mark, it is raining. I am cold, I am crying, and I am tired. I don't have time to do this with you. I have to go, okay? So you're going to get your hand off of my car, take a few steps back, and let me leave. Why? Because it's what I do best. Things get hard, and I leave. Like I left when I caught you and your secretary kissing, or the time my parents had a huge fight when I was 16. Do you remember that? I left. They couldn't find me for hours. You wanna know what I am afraid of most? Not being good enough. I'm not good enough for you, and you know it. I know it, everyone on this fucking planet knows it. Now let me leave."

I am shocked by what I say, but not nearly as much as Mark is. His mouth is wide open, and he sighs slowly. He runs his hands over his wet face, and for a second I think he might cry.

"That's...that's not true, Aria. You know that's not true, don't you? None of it, I promise."

I shake from crying and he knows he needs to let me go.

He slowly moves his hands, and steps back a little. I thank him, and start to open my door. Before it closes, I hear his voice again.

"Ar?"

I stop. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry."