Chapter 57

                   .   Lan's POV

Being friends with Damon has cost me my own friend. Pearl hardly speaks to me. Just a few hellos and byes.

But on the other end Damon has been great. He has been more open with me, dropping in at times to check up on me or calling on the phone. We have grown closer.

Would it be weird if I say I enjoy his company? Our project was a success and our history teacher even gave us a plus for effort.

Although I didn't get the A I wanted, I can make due with a B+.

I laid down on my bed immersing myself in the Damon thought when my phone rang on my bedside table.

The number was foreign making me crease my brows.

I picked the call clutching the phone to my ear.

"Hel..."

The person cut me off seeming in a rush to speak.

"Hello Lan? It's me Mrs Quinn! I need your help dear" She said breathing hard over the phone.

"Mrs Quinn? Is something wrong?"

I heard a crashing sound making me sit up.

"What was that? Are you okay?" I asked worried.

"I am fine dear. It's Mark. He--he hasn't been himself. He needs you Lan. Please can you come over to speak to him. I'm sure he'd like that alot" She said.

I bite my lips not knowing what to say. I don't think Mark would like to see me or maybe I'm too scared to face him.

"I don't think he---"

"You owe him this Lan!" She said her voice holding much anger.

My mouth shut. I was dumbfounded by her reaction.

"I'm so sorry dear..I just need your help. He needs you. Why didn't you call him at least once? So many days has passed since that incident" She sighed sounding helpless.

My heart panged with guilt. She was right, I owe him this.

"I will be on my way" I replied.

"Thank you so much dear." She said ending the call.

Once the call was over, a sigh escaped my lips. I was feeling anxious and worried at the same time.

I hope he hasn't hurt himself. If not I will never be able to forgive myself.

I forced my body out of bed and changed my clothes running down stairs. I spotted my mom walking towards the kitchen a cup in her hand.

"Mom" I called out to her walking towards her.

She turned back to stare at me taking a sip out of her cup.

"Yes baby?"

"I need to go out. Mark's mom called, I think something happened" I explained the situation to her.

She nodded patting my head.

"It's okay dear. Go see him" She said a small smile on her lips.

My mom already knew about the Mark and Me saga but not how involved Damon was in the whole matter or the fact that her little baby had his first sexual experience with someone other than his boyfriend.

"Thank you Ma" I kissed her cheeks and ran out of the front door.

I hauled a taxi which took me to Mark's house driving into the private unit.

"Thank you" I paid the driver off. He tipped his cap at me and drove off.

I stood on the lawn nervous. My palms were sweaty.

How will I face his mom? I wonder what she thinks of me.

I braced myself and knocked on the door.

"Hold on.."  A voice said.

I stood clutching my fingers tightly. The door opened the next minute and a disheveled Mrs Quinn stared at me.

She had eye bags under her eyes and her hair was rolled in a rough bun.

She held a tight smile on her face making me feel more uncomfortable.

How would she be able to smile freely at the person who is the cause of her son's misery.

"Thank you for coming. Come in" She moved out of the way ushering me in.

I stepped into the house not knowing what to say.

She locked the door and ushered me towards the couch. We sat facing each other. Guilt finishing me off silently at the sight of her.

I couldn't find the courage to look into her eyes. I stared down at my lap holding my hands tightly.

She held my hand lifting my chin up and staring into my eyes a smile on her lips.

"Don't beat yourself up dear. You made a mistake, move pass it" She said

I stared at her, my eyes glistening with tears.

"You don't blame me?" I asked meekly.

She smiled and held my cheeks "I know we all make mistakes and do things we regret. I don't hold that against you" She said.

I nodded wiping the lone tear that fell from my eyes.

"How is he doing?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"He is not good. He has locked himself up in his room barely coming out. At first I thought he needed space but with time it became worse. He refuses to eat and keeps breaking things. I'm worried Lan. I fear he might hurt himself. You're the only one he'd speak to" She said her voice broke at the end.

"I will do my best" I said getting up. I walked towards his room.

Standing in front of his door made me scared. Scared of facing him.

I knocked on the door and waited but no reply.

I knocked again taking in a deep breathe.

"Mark? It's me Lan. Please open the door. Let's talk" I said.

I heard footsteps and the next minute the door creaked open. I stepped into the destroyed room shocked. Mark sat on a corner behind the door a bottle of alcohol in his hand. His bed was broken. Everything in the room was ruined. Shards of glass were everywhere on the floor.

I made my way to him trying hard not to step on a glass. I croached in front of him.

He raised his dropped head and stared at me. Eye bags under his eyes. He looks horrible.

I held his hand but he flinched away making me feel more horrible.

I did this to him.

"Why are you here?" He asked. His voice slurred.

"I...I came to see you. You look..."

His laughter trailed me off.

"You came to see me? Why? To rub it all in my face how good Damon is in bed? What stopped you from coming earlier?" He asked.

I felt speechless.

"Mar---"

"Don't touch me!" He pushed me away. I fell on my butt, my hand piercing a shard of glass on the floor. I winced in pain. Staring at him in shock.

He looked shocked as he watched the blood in my palm.

He dropped the bottle and knelt in front of me.

He held my hand, wiping the blood from it with his shirt.

Tears flowed freely from his eyes.

"I am so sorry Lan. I...I didn't mean to push you. I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me" He begged wiping it off repeatedly.

I held his hand stopping him.

"I'm fine. It's ok" I pulled him up as we both sat on the broken bed.

He laid his head on my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair luring him to sleep.

What have I done to him? This isn't Mark. I broke him. The realization hunted me.

"I love you so much, you know that right? Don't ever leave me please or I will kill myself" He said.

My eyes widened as I stared at his face. His eyes was closing slowly.

That statement shocked me to my bones. The fact that he threatened to hurt himself scared me.

"Shhhh... sleep. You need to rest" I sat there quietly till he slept off.

Mrs Quinn stepped through the door, her eyes scanned the entire room as she shook her head.

"Thank you so much for doing this" She said. Lifting him off me and lying him down on the bed.

I stood by the side and watched as she caressed his hair. Love in her eyes.

I hurt her son. She is suppose to be mad at me but she is thanking me.

"I'm so sorry Mrs Quinn. Please forgive me" I said running out off the room. I couldn't take it anymore.

....

I reached home telling my mom all that happened and how broken Mark was. Tears escaped my eyes as I sobbed in her arms.

"It's okay dear. Don't blame yourself anymore. He will be fine" She comforted me.

"I know but I still feel horrible. It's all my fault you know, I cheated on him" I admitted staring into her eyes.

I watched her expression as I told her the whole story not missing the Damon part.

"Oh dear" She hugged me tightly kissing my hair.

"I'm proud of you for admitting you were wrong." She said.

"I know Mark will be okay" She added hugging me.