January Twenty Four.
(Hour of the Greetings)

"I haven't seen you for so long! I've missed you since I moved...how have you been doing?"
Mark hugged me tight. I felt awkward. I haven't seen him in years...
"I..I've been good..." All I can do is stutter.
"That's great. You should come by sometime, and we can catch up..."
I had a feeling there was something more to it than just "catching up". I felt sick to my stomach. Mark had been my bestfriend. Who turned into my ex lover. He moved away unexpectedly to Kansas City, his parents getting a new job down there, to the dissapointment of us both. We both thought he was never going return, never mind come back to me, so he let me go. My heart broken, and my life gone, I became depressed out of my mind. Until I found Darren. And then my life slowly became complete again. But now that Mark was back, I didn't know what to do.
"F...for sure. I'd love to do that..."
I glance up at the window. Darren is glaring down at Mark.
"Who is that? You guys friends?" Mark asked, sounding hopeful.
I hated to say it. I really did. But I had to. "Actually, me and Darren are together."
I wiped the smile right off Mark's face. "Oh. I see. Well I hope you two are happy..."
I nodded. "You bet...but I really have to go. I was in the middle of a nap..."
Mark nods stiffly. "I hope I can see you again sometime."
I smile weakly. "Don't worry. You will."
He turns away and I walk inside, closing the door behind me.
"Who. Was. THAT."
I tense up. "That...that was Mark."
His expression doesn't change. "How do you know him? How does he know where I live? How did he know you were here?"
I didn't know the answer to most of those questions. Except one.
"I don't know how he found me, or how he figured I was here..."
His eyes stare at me. Cold. "How do you know him?" He asks again.
I hesitate for an instant. "He was my best friend, and then he moved to Kansas..."
Darren grasps my shoulders. "There's more than that. I KNOW there's more than that."
I cast my eyes to the floor.
"Look at me and tell me."
Hard as it was, I brought myself to look him in the eyes. But my tongue was stuck, unable to move. To tell him we were once in love. Once together.
"I...he..."
Darren's face softens. "Tell me, Cierra."
I couldn't hold it back. "We had gone out...we were together. A long time ago. But he left me."
Darren nods. I'm wondering what he's thinking. Was he hurt? Relieved? Angry?
"I don't want you seeing him."
I froze. "W..what..."
"You can't see him. J...just in case."
I know he was concerned, but common? He can't take control of my actions.
"I have to! We might of been together, but that's all over. He's still my friend. Plus, you can't control who I see. Be realistic, Darren. You have nothing to worry about."
Darren shakes his head. "Yes I do. But if you feel you can contain yourself..."
I glower at him. "Of course I can contain myself. You're being silly."
I hug him despite growing anger. "Simmer down, okay? He's just a friend now. I'm yours. ALL yours."
Darren kisses my cheek. "I know. And I'm yours."
I touch his neck. It's cold. As always. I run a finger around his throat, and he shivers. He lowers his head and kisses my neck.
"I love you."
I smile. "I love you too. Forever."

Later that Night.

The phone rings. Darren pulls away from me and rushes to answer it. I listen to him pick it up and start talking.
"Hello?"
There's a pause.
"Oh. Yeah. She's here."
He hands it to me roughly. "It's Mark."
I'm shocked. What's he doing calling me? On Darren's phone!
"H...hello...?"
Yep. It's Mark alright. "Hey you! What's up?"
I sigh. "Just spending some time with Darren. And what about you?"
"Planning some stuff for my parents...hey, do you think you can hang out next week?"
Next week. Enough time to ensure that we're okay. That Darren can trust me.
"That I think I can do. Thanks for the invite."
"No problem. I've missed you too much."
"I've missed you too. I forget what you're like haha."
There's awkward silence. Not the right thing to say. He might be thinking I was referring to the way things were back before he moved...
"Yeah same." He finally responds.
I hold my breathe and glance at Darren. He doesn't seem fazed by what I was saying. I exhale.
"Well, I'll talk to you again soon. Darren wants to take me away from the phone haha."
"Yeah. Alright. See ya soon."
I push the end button on his cordless phone and place it on the side table.
"You miss him to, huh." Darren asks, sounding accusing.
"As my friend, yes I miss him," I defend, "He invited me to his house next week."
Darren's face stiffens. "I see."
I get up and hug him around the waist. "Don't worry about it. It'll just be a friendly meeting. To see how much we've grown different from when way back then."
He nods. "Alright. Whatever you say."
Darren tears away from me and takes off his slippers. Slipping under the covers, he turns around and I assume he's falling asleep. I sigh, and walk briskly out of the room and into my own bed.
I stare at the ceiling. Thinking about past events. Events yet to come. And as I think about this, I drift off...my eyes drooping, slowly closing.

January Twenty Five.
(No More School...For Now)

I have decided. I'm not going to school. For now. I don't want it. I don't need it.
I'm spending all my time with Darren. Okay, and Mark when I get around to it.
Yuki gave me an offline message, asking me to meet her on our chatting log at 6.
I shall do so. After I eat...I need something chocolate.

"Leave some for me!"
Darren rips open a chocolate bar that was sitting in the fridge. He's slowly eating away at it, and I'm running to snatch some away. I get to it, but he holds it high above him so even when I jump I can't reach it.
"Hah. I guess you're too short."
I scowl at him. "Awe, common! That's not fair."
He smiles at me. "Well, if I can have a kiss maybe I'll grant you some sugary goodness that I hold in my hands."
I frown, and reach up and lightly touch his lips. He lowers his arms, breaks off a small section of the chocolate bar and gives me the rest.
"Told ya I would grant you sugary goodness."
I laugh. I take it up the stairs and flop down beside my laptop, and log into my messenger.

Online Conversation With Cierra and Yuki.

Cierra logs on.

Cierra(L) says:
Hey Yuki! Haven't talked to you in a while!

Yuki says:
Cierra! Koneechiwa!

Cierra(L) says:
What's been goin' on?

Yuki says:
Nothing really. I could ask you the same thing...

Cierra(L) says:
Well, guess who came back to town...? I hope you understand when I say that

Yuki says:
...you're not talking about...

Cierra(L) says:
Oh you KNOW I'm talking about him

Yuki says:
O. M. G!! Did you talk to him!?

Cierra(L) says:
Yeah, to the disapproval of Darren...and discomfort for me...

Yuki says:
Well that's reasonable. You two ARE together. And it would be pretty awkward with an ex...

Cierra(L) says:
Yeah. But he wants me to go over and "catch up" with him. I know there's a "catch" in there..and I'm pretty sure it's not just talk.

Yuki says:
Hm. Well you better be careful. I know how much Darren means to you...

Cierra(L) says:
Pretty obvious...

Yuki says:
Unless Mark becomes more to you than Darren...

Cierra(L) says:
WHAT? How could you suggest that? That would never happen!

Yuki says:
I'm just being cautious! It could happen!

Cierra(L) says:
I can assure you that will never happen. NEVER!

Yuki says:
Okay. If you're sure about that.

Cierra(L) says:
I'm positive. But I have to run, Darren's calling me.

Yuki says:
Go get em' tiger!

Cierra(L) says:
Oh I will haha.

Cierra turns to "Away".

I run down the stairs to Darren's voice. He's sitting on a chair in the living room. I slow down, and stop just a few steps in front of him. He reaches out and I touch his arm.
"Is there something the matter?" I ask quietly.
He shakes his head. "Nah. I just hate when you leave even for the slightest moment."
I smile and go sit on his lap. We don't talk. Just sit. Hand in hand. He has a comfortable lap...
I hear the buzzing of my laptop. I slowly slide off his knee and hurry up the stairs. I flip up my lappy and glance at the screen. It's Mark. It reads:

Mark says:
Hey! i've found out that I'm not busy on Friday! I know it's short notice, and I really wanted to call you earlier, but the unpacking has really worn me down. But please come, my parents really want to see you again, and so do I. We'll have fun catching up again. It's been a while, I'm sure you feel the same.

God I hate it when he says catching up. That's the only term he uses for it. But he's not done. Another message shows up in the message box.

Mark says:
Oh yeah, you're invited to dinner too. Remember to tell Darren that it's just a friend to friend thing. Can't wait to see you again. Please come on Friday!

Dammit. I didn't want to type back. It would take up too much time. This was shitty. I should call Mark. But then Darren would shoot me. Or turn me. One of the two. How the hell was I supposed to tell him? Knowing him, he'd jump to conclusions. Oh how I hated this. But the faster I go to tell him, the easier my life will become.