Thick and Thin

I felt amazing after I took my shower. I kicked myself for moping and laying around the past two days. My phone started ringing as I was getting dressed.

"Hello?" I answered.

"HEY!" Sara shouted.

"Sara, what the hell."

"What?"

"You're supposed to be enjoying your honeymoon, not calling your friends."

"Sorry. Adam stepped out for a little bit so I'm taking advantage. Soooo, how's Eli?"

"I'm done with him."

"What?" She shouted. I had to hold the phone away when she yelled. "Why?"

"Well, after the wedding he stayed the night."

"And you-"

"Yes," I said, answering her question before she could even ask. "And he left the day after."

"Like, left left? Before you woke up?"

"No. He was still there and we went to the lunch and stuff but he left to go back to Canada with his parents."

"And he didn't mention this?" She asked, confused.

"Nope."

"I don't understand him," She breathed. I could feel my eyes start to water and I sighed loudly trying to hold the back.

"Me neither."

"I've been dying to tell you this, don't tell Adam though." I waited for her to go on. "Eli told Adam that night when you left to the police station..."

"Yeah?" I asked getting anxious.

"He told him he loved you."

"Well what good is that going to do now? He's gone. I gave in and it didn't work out again. I'm done and I'm over it."

"Shit, Adam's back. LOVE YOU!" She said before hanging the phone up. I shook my head and started to fix my hair.

**

I ended up wearing what I wore to the fancy restaurant when Eli and Adam first got there except instead of heels I wore black flats. Heels and sand just didn't sound like a great mix.

I had decided to walk so I could get my thoughts together, mentally prepare myself on finding out who was waiting for me. From a distance, I could see lights streaming along the pier and I could see the sun setting in the ocean. It was beautiful.

My stomach grew tighter and tighter as I moved closer to the sand. Once I made it I took off my flats and felt it cool my feet. I slightly tip toed in case there were any rocks. I saw a figure sitting at the end of the pier, waiting. A champagne bottle and two glasses at his side and a picnic basket on his other side. I couldn't tell who it was until I was at the other end of the pier.

"Mark?" I asked. He turned and smiled at me. Inside, my heart dropped. Somewhere inside of me there was hope that it would be Eli, but it wasn't.

"Hey," He stood up and starting walking towards me, holding out another rose for me. I didn't take it.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"I fucked up Alex." He reached over to grab my hand and I flinched away.

"You did."

"I'm sorry. It's over with her, everything. I've changed."

"In just a few months? I doubt it," I spat.

"I don't expect you to take me back," He started and I scoffed. He had that part right. "Can we just talk?" I searched his eyes trying to see if this was a trick or not. "As friends?" I nodded, giving up. I could use a friend right now.

We sat on the end of the pier with our legs dangling off the edge. I was on my third glass of champagne and on my half hour rant about Eli.

"He shows up, right?" I said, pouring another glass. "And we have sex. It was amazing, and the next day I find out that he's leaving later that day!?"

"Wow," Mark whispered. He was acting so cool about me talking about Eli.

"I know, right?" I finished my glass and set it down, feeling the tears escape.

"When I met him at the beach, the way he looked at you," he started. He looked at the sky like he was trying to find the right words to say. "Honestly I don't think I even looked at you that way."

"What way?"

"He had this spark in his eyes. I don't know how to explain it. I could tell there was something between you, not only tension, but something more than that."

I shook my head and looked out into the ocean and watched the reflection of the moon start to dance.

"I really believed I loved him," I whispered, letting a tear fall down my face. I started rubbing my neck. "God! Why are guys so stupid?!"

"Because we're guys," he laughed. I looked over at him and laughed with him. I rubbed my eyes and yawned.

"Thanks, Mark." I said gently. He smiled.

"Anytime. You know my number if you need someone to talk to. Counselors have a right to talk to someone too." He leaned in and gave me a friendly peck on the cheek before standing up. He held his hand out and I took it so he could pull me up.

"I need to get going," I said. "Thank you, again."

"You need a ride?" He asked. I shook my head.

"I'll be fine."

**

The next morning I felt a lot better than the past few days. I decided to clean the apartment up before Sara came back next week. I had a few more weeks off of work before I go and work part time again. I blasted the stereo and listened to some Avenged Sevenfold, singing into the end of the broom like it was a microphone.

Meike stood in front of me, wagging her tail. I dropped the broom stick and she jumped on me, paws on my shoulders, and I started dancing with her. She playfully nipped at my hands and I let her down.

When I was done, I threw some shorts and a tank on and decided to walk around the beach. Sara not being here was starting to make me really bored. When I went outside the sky was threatening rain and I could hear thunder off in the distance. I decided against the beach and went to the nearest starbucks to get a passion fruit tea lemonade. The clouds moved in fast and there was a down pour half way home.

I jogged up the stairs, pulling my wet hair back and reached for my keys to unlock the door. When I set the key in and twisted it, it didn't do the usual click. I opened the door slowly and looked around the house. There was a carton of orange juice sitting out and I knew it wasn't me because I had just cleaned the house.

I could hear someone moving around in the bathroom down the hall and I panicked. Meike not coming to greet me made me more nervous. I grabbed the nearest object I could find and not thinking clearly, I grabbed a spoon. Then I heard the toilet flush.

"He-hello?" I stammered. "I have a gun! I-I already called the police!"

"You don't have a gun and you didn't call the police, you left your phone on the couch." The familiar voice called from the bathroom. I slowly walked towards the door, making sure the front door was still open in case I needed to make a run for it.

"Who-who is it?!"

"Relax," they called and opened the bathroom door. Eli stepped out. I lowered the spoon in relief then anger taking over.

"What the fuck are you doing!?"

"Apparently I'm about to be stabbed by a, what is that a spoon?"

"That's not the point," I said, throwing the spoon in the kitchen. "How did you get in?" He reached in his pocket and handed me my spare key.

"It's cliché to leave it in the flower pot."

"What are you doing here," I snapped.

He ignored me and walked over to the couch and picked something up from the coffee table. A dozen roses were bundled with a beautiful lace ribbon. I was speechless.

"What are you doing here?" I asked breathless. He handed me the roses and stood a few inches from me.

"I was planning on coming back, you never gave me a chance to talk."

"I did," I objected, setting the roses down on the kitchen table. "At the lunch."

"You were so angry though."

"I'm pretty sure if you mentioned you were coming back I would have been a lot happier."

He pointed to the note on the coffee table before asking, "What's that about?"

"Oh," I rolled my eyes. "Mark left it at my door."

"Mark?" He asked in disgust. "You met up with him?" I nodded.

"I didn't know who it was, I thought it was.."

"You thought it was who?"

"You," I said, looking down at my feet embarrassed. "But it wasn't. We just talked as friends. He wanted to get back together."

"And?"

"He could tell I didn't want to." Eli nodded and looked around the room.

"I'm sorry," He finally said. I nodded.

"Me too."

He walked over and brushed the bangs that were sticking to my face behind my ear. He kept looking in my eyes as if searching for something. I bit my lower lip and he smiled.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?" I asked, confused.

"Bite your lip." he took my hands into his and I smiled.

"Why?" I teased.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"When you did that that night, it drove me crazy," he laughed. I smiled as he slid is fingers in my shorts, resting them on my hips and pulling me in closer to him.

"Sorry," I apologized.

"No need," he smirked and my knees grew weak. I still didn't understand this boy. One minute i'm head over heals, the next, I'm repulsed by him.

Before I knew it I was leaning against the door frame, his body pressing against mine. When we stopped for a second he grabbed my ass and lifted me and I instantly wrapped my legs around him.

"You're so beautiful," he said shaking his head as if he couldn't believe it. "I promise I'll never let you go." We started kissing all the way to my room and he laid me softly onto my bed, sliding my shorts off while I took my shirt off. He sat up and took his shirt off and leaned down to start kissing my neck. He moved down to my collar bone and stopped at my belly button before he came back up to my lips.

My fingers tangled into his hair and I never wanted to let go. He flew the blanket over us and kissed my lips again, staring into my eyes I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you," he whispered. It felt like the butterflies were going to fly out of my stomach and my face grew hotter than I've ever felt before. Anytime a guy told me he loved me yeah, I was happy. I never felt like this though.

"I love you too."

And the words never felt so right.