Falling Out of Time

Mark | Three's a Crowd

Three's a Crowd

"There he is!"

Mark could barely hear Amber over the commotion around them. The halls were packed with kids opening lockers and searching for homerooms. Their new middle school was two times bigger than the one Mark was used to, which only added to his growing anxiety. Amber had spent every second since they got there trying to find Carter, but Mark didn't make any attempt to help.

The last thing he wanted was to find Carter. In fact, he never wanted to see him again. Not after last week.

"C'mon, I think that's him at the end of the hall!" Amber insisted, tugging at Mark until he followed. "Carter! Carter, wait up!"

Mark spotted him too. Carter stood outside a classroom, waiting for the crowd to clear so he could go in. At the sight of him, Mark's stomach cramped up; he'd been dreading this moment all week. Carter didn't notice them right away, but Amber took care of that.

"Carter!" she shouted over the din, waving her hand frantically.

But when he glanced their way, instead of acknowledging her, Carter's eyes locked onto him. Mark's throat tightened as he met his gaze, memories from that night coming on too strong. He didn't understand all the feelings that surrounded what happened, but a few big ones stood out.

Hurt? That was definitely in there. Mark had never cried harder than he did that night. Scared. He'd hidden under the covers all night, keeping his sobs silent so as not to draw attention. After everything that happened, the last thing he wanted was to draw his mom's attention.

But the emotion that surpassed them all hadn't come on until the next morning, when Carter did what Mark always feared he would. Now when he saw Carter, all he felt was betrayal.

Carter didn't stare long. Ignoring Amber's calls, he shoved his way into the classroom and out of sight. Mark let go of the breath he was holding, relieved.

"Hey, why didn't he come over? He saw us, right?" She tugged his arm and tried to follow Carter, but Mark shrugged out of her grip and power walked the other way.

"Where are you going?" she shouted after him. He could hear her following close behind and shoved his way through the crowd, uncaring if he was going the right way.

Amber caught him just before he turned down another hall. "Wait, we have to go back for Carter! He's gonna think we ditched him on the first day!"

"No we don't," he insisted, pulling out of her grasp.

"What are you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter!"

"But, Mark—"

"We don't need him!" he exploded. Conversations nearby faltered at his sudden outburst, but he didn't notice past the look in Amber's eyes. Shame flared in his stomach, rising until his face was hot with it. Mark had never shouted at her before. He'd never had a reason to, not before Carter came along.

His insides felt like sludge. The last thing he wanted was to take his anger out on Amber. He came too close to losing her last week, and he would never let anything try to come between them again.

Especially not Carter.

"I-I'm sorry. Just nervous, I guess. It's a big day, and I really want it to be the two of us. Like we used to be... remember?"

Amber peered at him nervously. Mark could read every thought crossing her mind — she didn't want to leave Carter behind. It wasn't a secret that she felt differently about Carter than she did about him, which made Mark sweat even more. Before Carter, Mark knew he was the most important person in her life, just like she was his. But now, as he stood under her gaze, he wasn't sure who she would choose.

"I guess..." Still, she glanced over her shoulder, back towards the classroom. "Just us. But only for today."

Mark relaxed, if only slightly. He didn't have the heart to tell her this wouldn't be a one time thing. Instead, he took her hand and checked his schedule again, then led her down the hall. Despite the dread still clogging his lungs, Mark was excited to start this next chapter of their lives. Just the two of them.

Together.