"This can't be real!" Kelly exclaimed as she looked at her phone. She had to give it a second look to confirm that she had even received the message in the first place. "Is this legit?" She texted back after the message was still on her phone when her eyes opened back up.
Kelly had been dating Mark for five years and while things weren't as good as they once had been this was a shock. And to find out today, of all days. This had to be a joke. It had to be a ruse played by her mean friends. They had never liked Mark much anyway. They had told Kelly that he wasn't worth the trouble. They were adamant that she was going to get hurt. Kelly had always played it off. They didn't know Mark like Kelly did. They hadn't seen his heart of gold. Sure he sometimes yelled at her in front of her friends or said mean things about her, but that was just guy stuff. Some of that was to be expected in any relationship. Kelly still was happy enough in this and she had thought Mark was too but the text message on her phone threatened the very existence of her opinions on their relationship because today when she woke up on the day of their five year anniversary, she received a picture of Mark and another girl snuggled up, nice and close, out in public kissing. After what felt like a small eternity but was only three minutes, her best friend confirmed her worst fear with three simple letters. "Yes."
Kelly was incensed. What could she do? She had to end things, right? I mean she had given this man five years of her life and hehe needed to focus. The first step was to talk to him about it, she decided. Mark could be a charmer so Kelly was going to have to focus. She was not about to let him weasel his way out of this one s had apparently thrown it all away to kiss this girl. She wasn't even that cute. Kelly took a deep breath. So she sent him a text to let him know that she meant business. "We need to talk. In person. Now." Lots of punctuation so he would know that this was going to be a serious talk.
Kelly looked down at her phone the moment she hit send. He should respond. He always has his phone on him. What could he be doing? Maybe he's with that girl. Her mind raced. Who doesn't have their phone on them at all times. Mark does. She is sure of it. Five years of always being on his phone. She looked away for a second and then the phone dinged. She would be embarrassed at how quickly her eyes moved back to the phone if she wasn't already so anxious. "Can't come over right now. You come over here." His response. It brought forth an eye roll. Seriously. Can't come over. Jesus. This was going to be harder than she thought. Kelly would have to confront Mark at his house. The home field advantage for the smooth talker. She had to be strong. But she was ready. "K." She replied and then got her things together, ready to get the truth out of Mark.
The drive over was nerve wracking. It was one that Kelly knew like the back of her hand. She could do it with her eyes closed. She had done it under the influence more times than she would ever admit. This was an easy drive for her. Ten minutes away. The fact that he couldn't make such a short drive only created another fire in her. It was anger fueled by anxiety. A cycle that almost made her run a red light. One that almost made her take out a mailbox. Each swerve of the car was like oxygen to that feeling inside of her. Mark provided the tinder but she was letting it burn. Her knuckles were white knuckled on the steering wheel when she finally reached his house. Her entire body was shaking. She felt the rage reach a fever pitch. She nearly forgot her keys in the car, so blinded by confronting Mark. In finding out the truth. In setting things right.
Kelly walked to Mark's front door with a purpose. She took a deep breath and even though she could feel that fire deep inside she tried to project coolness. The knock impressed her. Loud, heavy, not the kind of needy rap that you hear from other girls desperate to confront their love in the act. She could do this. She could confront Mark and whatever the truth was, she could handle it.
She heard the words faintly through the door. "It's open. Come in." She looked confused. Mark knew she was coming but also knew she meant business. Surely he knew all those punctuations were sent for a reason and then he was so flippant about it. "Come on in!?" Seriously. Fuck she was going to let him have it. Some of the coolness disappeared, instead replaced by the flames that she tried so hard to repress. The door slammed behind her hard. It made her jump a little even though she was aware of how hard she had closed it. She wanted to be sure he heard. She marched. Looking for him. Diligently checking each room. Kelly didn't want Mark to get out of this. Maybe he would even squirm. She checked the kitchen, living room, and dining room before heading to his room.
Odd. But then again this whole thing was so bizarre. He was never just in his room. He didn't even have a tv there. His gaming set-up was in the living room and that is where he almost always was. But when she knocked he heard his answer. "Hey."
Kelly pushed inside. She could see him sitting on a computer chair next to a desk. He smiled a little and gave her a wave. A smile! Kelly couldn't believe it.
"Mark we need to fucking talk." She could feel the fire burning. The words came out hot. Nearly hurt her mouth saying them. They lingered in the air. Mark seemed to avoid most of the blaze.
"About what?"
"Are you cheating on me?"
Mark sighed. He raised his brow. A look of confusion crossed his face. "Cheating on you? We've been together for how long? And you think I would cheat on you? Why the hell do you think that?"
His look disarmed her. The way he seemed so surprised. So hurt. It was like a storm that extinguished her fire. Suddenly her confidence in the situation dropped. "I uh. I thought you might have."
"Why?"
"I got a text message."
"Jesus, Kelly." Now it was Mark that seemed to be in possession of the fire but it felt like it already dwarfed the one Kelly had. "You believe a text message over me?"
"I didn't say I did. I just wanted to talk."
