Two Friends [Chapter 5]
#5 of Two Friends
Chapter 5
The next morning Mark woke up and sat up on his bed and stretched. He quickly got out of bed and pick out his clothes to wear for the day. He went to the bathroom and took a shower, humming and singing a joyful tune. After he was done, and got dressed, he walked out into the living room where he saw the front-door closed. Curious to see who just left he walked over to window and peered out-it was Tom. Where is he going? he thought. He quickly side-step over towards the door and opened it; he called for Tom. "Tom!" He kept walking, not looking back. Mark called for him again. "Tom!" No reply. Mark closed the door, got his jacket, and was out the door chasing after Tom. Mark slowed down to match Tom's speed, he then asked.
"Hey, what's wrong? Wha-what are you doing and where are you going?"
"What do you care?" Tom said coldly. Mark stopped in his tracks in awe. He shook it off and caught up to his friend again.
"Tom what's up with you?" he asked. "You're acting weird. What is it? Tell me."
"What is it?" He grew louder. "What is it? I'm not going to graduate!"
"What do you mean you're not going to graduate? Of course you are."
"No I'm not!" Tom continued to walk. "Mrs. Simmons broke the news to me yesterday. It's official. I. Am not. Going. To. Grad-u-ate!" Mark was speechless. He tired to come up with something to say, but he couldn't. A second passed before he asked.
"Where are you going?"
"Don't worry about it, it's not like you care anymore."
"Tom," Mark said sternly mixed with concern. "Of course I care about you?"
"Then why didn't you love me?!" Tom yelled. "Why couldn't you have taken that next step? I didn't want marry you or anything, just have that unbreakable relationship that couldn't tear us apart no matter what!" Mark was again silent. "Now that you obviously don't care, you found yourself a girl." Mark looked down at the ground and didn't say a word.
"I saw you two together during lunch before they called me in to tell me that I'm not going to graduate! My life is over Mark!" The two got to the bridge and Tom stood to the right and put his hands on the guardrail and looked out. "I had dreams Mark, I had dreams."
"So, you can still accomplish those dreams. It'll just be harder for you."
"Yeah? And what about us?" Tom voice cracked. "All I ever wanted was to be happy and to have someone there for me. All I ever wanted to be loved, you never once said you loved me with me saying 'I love you' first! You never once kissed me without me kissing you back!" Tom took a moment and looked at Mark. Mark stood there with his head down at the ground. "I wanted to be happy and to have you with me by my side. Now that will never come true and I basically have nothing left. I..." Tom took a breath. "Mark, I love you and I always will. I'm sorry." Mark looked up.
"Wh-What are you doing." Tom climbed over the guardrail without looking back.
"TOM NO!" Mark lunged out for Tom trying to grab something, anything his hands could get a hold of, but he couldn't. Mark leaned out at the railing and down into the river. As if time came to a standstill, he slowly watched his friend plunge into the river sixty feet below. If time seemed to standstill, his thoughts must have raced. Memories flashed pasts Mark's eyes, from the day they first met, to their love. The seconds turned into minutes, then finally.
SLASH!
Mark heard a distant voice that sounded like his own, his mind racing so fast that he couldn't really distinguish his own voice. He shook his head violently as the world came crashing down on him. He heard that same voice again. Before he realized it was his own, he felt his shoulders shake. A tear dripped from his nose into the water and splashed where his friend vanished.