Chapter 24
Emma
As soon as the door clicks shut, Marcus lifts himself up off the couch, a storm of anger and sadness in his expression.
“How much of that did you hear?” I ask wearily.
“All of it,” Marcus replies bitterly. “I’m sorry my brother is such a dick. You don’t need him, you deserve so much better than that.”
“Marc.. you know he didn’t mean what he said, right? He’s just hurting and lashing out because he's angry,” I say, hoping to ease the pain.
“Sometimes the harshest truth only comes out when you’re angry.” His jaw ticks. “I’m going to see what the hell is taking so long with your discharge papers.” And without another word, he rushes out the door.
———
The drive back to my house is silent, the only sound comes from the hum of the engine. My heart feels unbearably heavy, filled with sadness and hurt for both Marcus and Noah. How did things spiral out of control so quickly?
I know Noah has a good heart and loves his brother. But, his constant need to push everyone away baffles me.
Marcus pulls into my driveway and shifts the car into park, his grip tightens around the steering wheel. Staring straight ahead, I speak before he gets the chance to. “I’m really sorry. I keep putting you in the middle of Noah and me, and that’s not fair to you. It’s clear Noah is struggling with jealousy over our friendship, and it’s starting to hurt your relationship. I think we should spend a little less time together.”
“Fuck that," he shoots back. "Let Noah be jealous. Hell, I want to make him even more jealous. I want to hit him where it really hurts. I can take better care of you and this baby than he will ever be able to.” He turns to me finally and the wild look in his eyes scares me.
His words catch me off guard, making me confused. “Marcus. You’re hurting, and I understand that, but please think about what you're saying. You don't know what you're saying, you and I are just friends.“
“No, Emma, I actually do mean it. If Noah's not willing to grow the hell up and be with you, then I will.”
W ithout warning, Marcus suddenly grabs my face, his fingers gripping my jaw tightly, and pulls me to him for an urgent kiss. For a second, I’m too stunned to move, completely caught off guard. But then the realization dawns on me and what this means for all of us.
I pull back abruptly. In a flash of instinct, I slap him across the cheek with a loud ‘smack’, the sound reverberates in the car.
“Emma— “ he begins, touching his cheek, surprise etched on his face.
“What the hell did you just do Marcus?” I sob. “You ruined everything! How can I be friends with you after this? After I’ve been telling your brother over and over that we’re just friends. I’m not some toy for the two of you to fight over!” Fresh hot tears fall down my face.
The intensity in the car thickens, and Marcus’s brow furrows as he takes a breath with frustration. “Emma, please. Noah needs to understand that life goes on. He chose not to be with you and you can move on now!"
“No! Don't talk to me about moving on,” I shake my head, my vision blurred from the tears. "He does want to be with me, but I was the one that stupidly pushed him away this time. But then you kissed me, and you ruined everything! I don’t know what that means for us, for Noah, for anything. I never asked for this—I never wanted to be caught in the middle of this mess.”
My heart races, caught in a battle between anger and sadness. My breathing becomes shallow and rapid, I feel like I might have a panic attack.
“Emma, I’m sorry,” Marcus says, his voice softening with regret, his eyes pleading. “I didn’t mean to make this harder for you.”
“Well you did!" I retaliate. "I don’t know how to be friends with you now. I can’t just pretend that nothing happened. This changes everything. Please just... leave. I need time to think.”
Without looking back at him, I push the door open and climb out of the car as quickly as my growing belly allows me. I feel Marcus's gaze on my back, but I refuse to turn around.
The tears continue to spill over as I reach my front door. Stepping inside, I close the door behind me. The silence of the house wraps around me, feeling heavy and suffocating. I lean
against the cold metal door for a moment, trying to catch my breath, my heart still pounding from the fight. My throat feels raw from all the shouting and crying, and my chest aches like never before. None of this would have happened if I didn’t push Noah away at the hospital.
Some of my favorite memories with Marcus flood my mind—the movie nights spent curled up on the couch, game nights filled with uncontrollable laughter until we cried. But now, the memories have been tainted by betrayal.
Trudging into my bedroom, I flop down onto the bed. I absentmindedly rub my belly, a reminder of the life growing inside me, innocent and unaware of the storm outside its little world.
I need to think, to process, but it's hard to find clarity when my emotions are in turmoil. With a sigh, I grab my phone, scrolling through contacts aimlessly. Part of me wants to reach out to Noah. But what would I even say? ‘I lied to you, your brother wants to be more than friends. Oh and by the way, he just made out with me?’
Do I tell Noah what happened and risk pushing him even further away? Or do I bury this secret and hope it goes away on its own?
With a shaky breath, I glance down at my phone again. My heart races as I hover over his name. I shouldn’t tell him what happened, his relationship with his brother is already strained enough as it is right now.
But before I can come to a decision, there's a loud banging at the front door. The sudden noise makes my heart nearly leap out of my chest. I glance nervously towards the hallway, hesitating before I roll out of bed and make my way to the kitchen. My heart is in my throat as I open the door.