Stuck in the Middle

Chapter 35

I hesitated outside our room. Part of me was afraid to go in there. I could hear Marc and John shouting at each other through the door, although I couldn't make out what they were saying.

I really couldn't leave then alone for one day, could I? I thought they were making so much progress with each other recently, but I guess that's only when I'm there to keep them in check. Give it twenty-four hours without me and they go right back to where they started.

Then the sound of someone hitting the floor echoed from inside. That was the last straw for me, and I unlocked and opened the door faster than I thought was possible.

Stepping inside, I only stared at what I saw in front of me. John was laying on his back on the floor, nearly naked except for his underwear. Marc stood over him, fully clothed with his hands balled into fists. His back was to me, so I couldn't see his expression.

"Spencer?" John asked, eyeing me from his place on the ground. He sat up, rubbing his cheek.

Marc turned around, unclenching his hands. "Hey! What are you doing back so soon?"

I ignored the question, closing the door. "I think a more important question is what the hell just happened in here?"

John shot to his feet. "Would you believe me if I said it was some weird sex thing?"

Marc scoffed, shaking his head. "I punched him."

"Punching can be kinky!"

I gave him an incredulous look, not even bothering to verbally reply to that statement. Instead, I walked further into the room to drop my bag in the corner by the beds. "And what about all the arguing before the punch?" I asked.

"Dirty talk?"

I sighed, sitting on the edge of Marc's bed before putting my head in my hands. He was being absolutely ridiculous right now. Could he really not have a serious conversation? No wonder Marc punched him.

"Okay, Spence," John said. "It really wasn't that big of a deal. I deserved it. So don't get upset that we argued a bit."

I lifted my head up a little too quickly, sending my glasses flying to the floor. I swear, one day I was going to break them if I kept dropping them. But that's not what was important right now, especially because Marc picked them up and handed them back to me, undamaged.

"Why were you even fighting?" I directed the question at Marc. "I thought you guys didn't fight anymore. Not since we all..." I let my voice trail off, but I wasn't entirely sure why I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence.

"We spent a year fighting with each other," Marc said softly. "That's not just going to go away the second we start dating."

"Hey, at least I'm trying!" John exlaimed. "All I did was ask if you wanted to have sex and got met with a fist in my face!"

"What?" I was immediately on my feet, looking back and forth between the two of them. If that was right, it would explain why John was wearing almost no clothes, but it still didn't make sense why Marc would punch him for asking that. Especially because they'd had sex with each other before.

Then a thought occured to me. I faced Marc. "Did you not want to because I wasn't here?"

He sighed, sitting down where I had just been. "It wouldn't have felt right if we were having sex while you were seeing your dad in the hospital. And no matter how many times I said that, he wouldn't take no for an answer. That's why I punched him."

"I asked, like, twice!"

I sat back down next to Marc and wrapped my arms around him, ignoring John's outburst again. I wasn't sure why I hugged him at that moment. I moved without thinking, but I knew needed to hug him. I think it was how much he cared about my feelings, about not wanting me to feel left out. I think that was exactly what I needed to hear.

"You didn't have to wait for me," I said quietly. "You're dating each other, too."

"You know," John said. "You never told us why you're suddenly back now."

I looked over at him, still mostly leaning on Marc. John's words were completely lost on me, though, as I stared at him. He still wasn't wearing any clothes aside from his underwear. As many times as I've seen him without a shirt, I could never get used to how attractive he was with his well-defined six pack and not a flaw on his perfect body.

"Or we can just go ahead and have sex now, since Spencer's back and he's clearly distracted by my amazing body."

I shook my head, blinking a few times so that I could focus on John's face instead of his torso. His cheek was turning slightly red. "I'm sorry, what were you saying before?"

Marc chuckled a bit, tightening his arm around me. "What brought you back here so soon?"

"Oh." I sighed, sitting up. I knew I needed to tell them both everything about my relationship with my parents. I avoided it this morning because I didn't want to do it over text, but I couldn't avoid it any longer.

"Is everything alright?" John asked, grabbing a shirt. "I take it your dad's doing better, maybe?"

I shook my head. "I don't know." I hadn't really thought about how I'd tell them. The only person who fully knew the extent of how bad my relationship with my parents was is Esmeralda, but she watched it firsthand for sixteen years.

"What do you mean?" Marc asked.

I shrugged, staring down at my hands in my lap. "He's still in the hospital, but I don't know if he's going to be completely fine in a few days or that's the last time I'm ever going to see him. Nobody told me anything."

"Maybe they didn't want to worry you with the details?" Marc asked.

I shook my head again. "It's that they didn't care to let me know. My mom's acting like he's dying and he made a joke about it. But neither one of them even noticed that I left the hospital. I still haven't gotten a call or text from my mother asking where I am."

"Wait. How'd you get back here, then?" John asked.

"My nanny drove me."

John laughed. Loudly. Then he must have realized I wasn't joking and forced himself to calm down. "A nanny? What seventeen year old has a nanny?"

"Well, she hasn't technically been my nanny since I was a kid. But she still works for my parents. Also, I'm not seventeen yet. Not until January."

John nodded his head slowly. "I feel like I did know that. Sorry."

"So does this nanny treat you like your parents do, or is she better?" Marc asked.

"So much better." I smiled at all the good memories I had with her. "I honestly wish she was my mom instead. She's amazing."

Marc squeezed his arm tighter around me. "It's a good thing you had her, then."

I nodded. I would have kept talking, but my stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly, telling all of us that I hadn't eaten in hours.

John laughed. "I take it you haven't eaten dinner yet, either?" I shook my head and he reached out a hand. "Come on. Both of you. Let's go before they stop serving food for the night."

I grabbed his hand as I stood up and he pulled me close to him. went for a kiss and I didn't stop him. It may have only been twenty-four hours, but I really did miss both my boyfriends. I was so glad to be back.