Love Is a ***

He flipped his red hair out of his face, and grinned, “So how is my best friend feeling?”

“Well… they finally un-strapped me.” I sighed, “Oh, and I’m fucking bored of sitting on my ass all day.”

“What happened?” he asked, resting his elbows on his knees as he lend closer to the bed.

I sighed, “Hockey.”

He shook his head, “Don’t lie to me Mac. You told me you hated sports.”

“I decide to give them a try.” I lied, grinning at my best friend.

He shook his head again, and lend back in his chair, “Fine, then can I come to your next game?”

“Coach took me out for the rest of the season.” the red hair man narrowed his eyes at me.

He sighed, “Listen. You don’t have to lie to me. I’m here to help you, not destroy you. Now tell me what happen?”

I nodded, “I was depressed.”

“And why were you depressed?” he was pushing the subject into unknown waters.

“Because…”

“Because?” he was jumping on a nerve, that’s not suppose to be open.

“Hockey.”

Mark stood up from his spot, and walked over to the window of the white room, “Mac, you’re a horrible liar. You might be able to play the game for a while, but Ryan did something to you. I saw the blood on the wall. Don’t lie to me anymore. I’m not leaving until you tell me.”

I sighed, and nodded. He was my best friend, and if he really didn’t care he wouldn’t even be visiting me in the first place. I lower my gaze to the white sheets, “That was my blood.”

“What happened?” he asked, making his way back over to the chair he abandoned.

“Ryan punished me. He beat me because of how I acted, and threw me in a closet.” I explained.

He nodded, “That’s why you weren’t there that day. You were locked up. Why didn’t you call for help?”

“Ryan would of punished me some more. I was scared Mark. I was really scared.” I felt green eyes burn through my flesh.

“How long has this been going on?” he asked, in the most serious tone I’ve ever heard him use.

“A while now. I can’t remember. A couple years… maybe.”

“A couple years! You almost died. Why did you do it?” he slumped in the plastic chair.

I stared at him from the corner of my eyes, “Because he doesn’t love me.”

He sighed, and I felt the bed sink slightly. Arms wrapping around me, “Then why did you stay? If he not gonna show you that your special, then don’t even bother with him.”

“Its not that easy Mark.” I sighed, “I thought if I could act the way he wanted me to, he would hold me, and kiss me, and make love with me. He never did. He stopped doing that a long time ago.”

I felt him shaking his head slowly, “I don’t get it. I’ve seen you two look like you were meant to be. Does he only treat you like that in public?”

I nodded slowly, tears covering my eyes, “Yeah… I call it… the new Ryan.”

He chuckled, “You got that right. I remember you two in high school. He seemed like a better person then. What happen to him?”

I shrugged, “I ask myself that everyday… I asked him not too long ago. He hurt me after that. He never answered my question.”

He hugged my body tighter, “I guess he didn’t want to be alone. Maybe he decide that if he could control you, that you couldn’t leave. Life has a funny and horrible way of showing the truth. Your lucky to have survived.”

I nodded, a tear falling down my cheek, “You’re not mad at me for not telling you?”

He pulled away to study my face, “Hell no. Ryan was the problem between us. Your dumping him right?”

I let out a humorless laugh, “Yea. I still love him.”

He pulled me closer to him, “That’s because you were with him for a while. You were meant to be with someone who can’t treat you like art. You’ll find your soul mate.”

I brought my arms around him to hug him back, “Thank Mark.”