The ending of this chapter just kinda…happened. It was going to end when he walked out of where you're going to read about, but I needed to make the chapter longer. I think it's quite powerful actually. Enjoy!
"Remember Mark," Mrs. Cohen warned, "You can't stay too long."
"Yes Mom," Mark answered, stuffing me in his pocket.
He walked up the steps and rang the bell. He, after more than a year, was going to talk to Bethany.
"Mark!" Mrs. Forth said happily, opening the door, "So nice to see you! My you've gotten tall. Come in, come in!"
Mark smiled and entered the house, the air conditioning overpowering us. He dug me back out of his pocket and wrapped me around his neck snugly.
"Bethany!" Mrs. Forth called up the stairs, "Someone's here to see you!"
"One sec!" Bethany yelled back.
Mark stood there awkwardly, fiddling with me like always as Mrs. Forth disappeared into the kitchen. Soon, Bethany came running down the stairs in a glittery, pink miniskirt and skimpy hot, pink tank top. When she saw us, she stopped, still about halfway down the stairs.
"Oh," she said, trying to hide her disappointment, "It's you."
Mark let out a small smile. "Hi Bethany," he said, "It's nice to see you. You've, er, changed."
"Unlike you." She responded rudely.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mark asked.
"Well, Mark," Bethany answered cruelly, "You're still a nerd. You still spike your hair in the same geeky way. And you still have that dorky scarf. I can't believe I was ever your friend."
Mark paled and I glared daggers at Bethany. She had changed in more than one way.
"At least I'm still nice!" Mark protested, "Now you're just a little slut!"
Bethany ogled Mark and he put his hands over his mouth as if to say 'I can't believe I just said that'.
Bethany eyes turned to slits angrily as she stormed down the stairs and slapped Mark hard on the cheek. "Get out!" she screamed.
"With pleasure!" He yelled back storming out the door.
"Mark," I said soothingly, "Are you okay?"
But he wouldn't answer me. He just kept walking angrily down the sidewalk until he approached the docks. The air was thick with salt and Mark took a deep breath, walking to the end of the boardwalk, which was high above the icy waters.
He climbed up onto the railing and held his arms out. "It would be so easy," he whispered, "So incredibly easy to just fall. No more worries."
Suddenly, I realized what he was talking about. "No Mark," I said worriedly, "Don't do it. Please don't do it."
A familiar car drove by. It was Bryan. He was most likely on his way to pick Mark up from Bethany's house.
"Wait Bryan!" I yelled, "Wait!"
For some reason, the car slowed. I watched as Bryan looked out the window of his rusted, red car. I saw his eyes widen when he saw exactly what his soon-to-be brother-in-law was doing. Without even turning off the car, he jumped out and began running down the Boardwalk frantically. Mark didn't seem to notice. All of his attention was fixated on the cruel waters below.
"So easy," he kept muttering, "So easy."
Mark flinched when he felt Bryan's strong hand on his shoulder, pulling the boy onto the safety of the wooden planks.
"God Mark!" Bryan yelled, "What were you thinking?"
The man pulled the boy into a hug and the three of us just sat there for what seemed to be forever, crying.