Chapter 10: A Visit to Marie
I woke up early, feeling a surge of excitement. I had been thinking about Marie all night, and I couldn't wait to see her. I decided to walk the 8 miles to her house, enjoying the crisp morning air and the sound of birds chirping.
As I walked, I felt my anticipation grow. I loved spending time with Marie, and I knew she would be happy to see me. When I finally arrived at her house, I knocked on the door, feeling a little out of breath.
Marie answered, a big smile on her face. "Hey," she said, throwing her arms around me.
I hugged her back, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "Hey," I said, pulling back to look at her.
We spent the morning hanging out with her brother Andrew, laughing and joking. But as we sat down to lunch, Marie's expression changed. She reached out and touched the necklace she had given me, her eyes narrowing.
"What's wrong with your necklace?" she asked, her voice tight with concern.
I felt a pang of guilt, realizing that I had forgotten to tell her about Carly snatching it. "It got broken," I said, trying to downplay the situation.
But Marie's expression darkened. "How did it get broken?" she asked, her voice firm.
I took a deep breath, knowing I had to tell her the truth. "Carly snatched it off my neck," I said, trying to explain.
Marie's face fell, and she looked hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her voice shaking with emotion.
I tried to explain, but Marie wasn't having it. "You were hanging out with your ex, and you didn't even think to tell me?" she said, her voice rising.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm her down. "It's not like that," I said. "Steve is friends with me, and he's dating my sister Kylie. That's why I was hanging out with Carly."
But Marie wasn't convinced. "That's not the point," she said, her voice still shaking. "The point is that you didn't tell me what happened, and you're still hanging out with her."
I felt a surge of frustration, knowing that I had messed up. "I'm sorry," I said, trying to apologize. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
Marie looked at me, her eyes searching. "I need some time to think," she said, her voice soft.
I nodded, feeling a sense of unease. "Okay," I said. "I'll give you space."
As I gave Marie space, I couldn't help but feel a sense of uncertainty. I knew I had messed up, but I didn't know how to fix it. I decided to head back home, hoping that some distance would help us both clear our heads.
As I walked, I thought about what I could do to make things right. I knew I had to be honest with Marie, but I also knew that I couldn't force her to forgive me. All I could do was give her space and hope that she would come around.
When I got home, I found Steve and Kylie hanging out in the living room. "Hey, what's up?" Steve asked, noticing my expression.
"Just had a fight with Marie," I said, collapsing onto the couch.
Kylie nodded sympathetically. "What happened?"
I filled them in on the details, and Steve nodded thoughtfully. "You should have told her about Carly snatching the necklace," he said.
I sighed, knowing he was right. "I know, I messed up."
Kylie put a hand on my arm. "Just give her some space," she said. "She'll come around."
I nodded, hoping she was right. As I sat there, I couldn't help but think about Marie and how much I cared about her. I knew I had to make things right, but I didn't know how.
The rest of the day was quiet, with me lost in my thoughts. But as the sun began to set, I knew I had to do something. I couldn't just sit around and wait for Marie to forgive me. I had to take action.
I decided to send her a text, hoping she would respond. "Hey, I'm sorry again for not telling you about the necklace," I said. "I know I messed up, and I promise to be more honest in the future. Can we talk soon?"
I hit send, feeling a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Marie would forgive me and we could move forward. But as I waited for her response, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were far from over.
I walked out of my house, feeling the cool evening air on my skin. I needed to clear my head, and a walk seemed like just what I needed. As I strolled down the street, lost in thought, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Carly asked, falling into step beside me.
I sighed, not really wanting to talk to her. "Just had a fight with Marie," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.
Carly nodded sympathetically. "What's going on? You two were fine earlier today, right?"
I hesitated, not really wanting to get into it with Carly. But she seemed genuinely interested, so I filled her in on the details.
Carly listened attentively, her expression thoughtful. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "But honestly, I think you're better off without all that drama."
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her comment. "What do you mean?" I asked.
Carly smiled, her eyes sparkling. "I mean, you're always stressing about something with Marie. With me, things are just... easier. Plus, let's be real, we're from the same side of town. We understand each other."
I nodded, feeling a sense of solidarity with her. "Yeah, I know what you mean," I said. "Marie lives in a whole different world. I don't know how she's going to react when she finds out about my past."
Carly's expression turned bitter. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. She's got her perfect little life, and she's trying to fit you into it. But you and I, we're from the wrong side of the tracks. We know what it's like to struggle."
I felt a pang of recognition, knowing that she was right. Marie's life was so different from mine, and sometimes it felt like we were living in different worlds.
"You know, Carly," I said, a thought occurring to me. "I think I've been trying to fit into Marie's life for too long. But maybe it's time for me to take control of my own life, to make a change."
Carly's eyes lit up with understanding. "What kind of change?" she asked.
I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of determination. "I want to get out of this life, Carly. I want to give Marie the life she's used to, or maybe even better. I want to be the one who provides for her, who takes care of her."
Carly's smile grew, and she nodded in approval. "That's the spirit," she said. "You deserve better, and you can make it happen."
As we walked, I felt a sense of clarity wash over me. I knew what I wanted, and I was going to make it happen. I was going to leave this life behind and create a new one, one that would make Marie happy. And maybe, just maybe, Carly was right. Maybe I was better off without all the drama, and maybe I could find a way to make things work with someone who understood me.
As I walked away from Carly, I could sense her disappointment. She had been trying to get my attention for so long, and it seemed like she wasn't ready to give up yet.
"Hey, wait," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I turned to face her, and she took a step closer. "You know, I thought we had something special," she said, her eyes locked on mine. "I thought we connected on a deeper level."
I felt a pang of guilt, knowing that I had led her on without meaning to. "Carly, I care about you, but-"
She cut me off, her voice taking on a desperate tone. "Don't say it," she said. "Don't tell me it's not meant to be or that you're still in love with Marie. Just give me one more chance."
I hesitated, feeling torn. Part of me wanted to be kind to Carly, to let her down easy. But another part of me knew that I had to be honest, no matter how hard it was.
"Carly, I'm sorry," I said, trying to be gentle. "But my heart belongs to Marie. I know I've messed up, but I'm willing to work through it with her."
Carly's face fell, and for a moment, I thought I saw tears welling up in her eyes. But then, her expression hardened, and she turned away. "Fine," she said, her voice cold. "If that's how it's going to be, then maybe I'll just have to move on."
I watched as she walked away, feeling a mix of emotions. I was relieved that the conversation was over, but I also felt a pang of sadness for Carly. She had been a part of my life for so long, and it was hard to see her go.