Two Friends [Chapter 3]
#3 of Two Friends
Chapter 3
Tom woke up; he blinked a few times trying to regain hold on reality once again. He squinted as his eyes burnt from the lack of sleep. He looked around his room trying to figure out what exactly woke him up. Another series of knocks banged on his door and he sat up. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, then looked at his clock.
3:45PM
He threw off his blankets and stood up. He walked over towards his dresser and picked up an old t-shirt, from yesterday, and slipped it on. Again he heard another series of knocks. Who's knocking on my door? he thought. He glided across the carpet towards his door. He reached for the door knob and suddenly the door opened by itself. Mark stood in the hallway with his backpack still on. "Mark?" Tom asked groggily. "What are you doing?"
"Worrying about you," Mark said coldly. "Why weren't you at school today?" Tom shrugged. "What do you mean you don't know?!" Tom again shrugged. Mark growled and pushed passed Tom into his room; he then took off his backpack and flopped it on Tom's bed.
"What are you doing?" Tom asked. Mark sighed and turned back towards Tom, and then he said calmly.
"We need to talk."
"We need to talk?" Tom repeated, apparently upset by Mark's comment. "What is there to talk about?! What more do we need to talk about?! You said it yourself, you're not gay, and that you didn't want to take the next step in our relationship. Sure we're friends, but we've done more for each other than either of our families had ever done for us, and you didn't want to take that step. What more do we need to talk about? And let me ask you this. What's so wrong about... being..." Tom struggled for the right words.
"Because I'm not gay, Tom! I've tried looking at some picture of men, and I couldn't get into it. Being gay for isn't for me."
"Ok, yes, so you're not gay, and you don't like ALL guys, but you liked me. So what's so wrong about being Bi? Is being Bi so wrong to you?" Mark looked down at his feet. "Mark, we've done a lot in the past years that we've known each other. We aren't the friends that we used to be; not since the day when I went up to you and asked, 'what's wrong? Do you want to talk about it?' And you shook your head and looked down. I then grabbed your shoulder and I said, 'hey, if you need someone to talk to I'm there for you.'" Mark nodded, still looking down. Tom wet his lips before he continued.
"Then, somewhere in the middle, I fell in love with you, and you did too. So why are you changing you mind?"
"Because I'm not gay."
"Of course you're not, Mark, you're Bi. You don't like all gays. What's so wrong about being Bi? You can still be with girls." Tom paused and waited for Mark to say something, after a second of silence Tom continued.
"You know you broke my heart, Mark, right?" Mark nodded, biting his lip. "It hurts, not a single day goes that I don't think about you. It hurts; it feels like someone is stabbing my heart over and over again."
"I know," Mark nodded and looked up back at Tom.
"Do you, Mark? Do you know what it's like to be in love this much? Do you know what it feels like?"
"....."
"Please, Mark. All I want it for you to be back with me please." Mark looked back down at his feet again. A tear rolled down Tom's cheek as he felt a stronger pain stabbing at his chest. He gritted his teeth as the pain flowed all over his body from his chest. His shoulders shook as he turned away and walked towards his window and looked out. Mark looked up.
"Tom," he spoke softly.
"I think you need to leave." Tom said coldly without looking away from the window.
"Tom," Mark started to object.
"Don't." He said through his tears. Knowing that he couldn't say anything more Mark grabbed his backpack and turned away. He stepped out into the hallway and looked back at Tom. Without saying anything more he closed the door behind him and walked over to his room in frustration.