Disclaimer- They still don't belong to me.
Author Notes- Thanks to Peanut for beta reading for me.
This chapter is for Amy, my most loyal reviewer, thanks!
Chapter 14 - I Know (Mark's POV)
I hesitate outside the door. Brad had pulled me aside when I got home and quickly spilled the story that Randy thought I was avoiding him because he was sick, and that I should talk to him. I would have said that I would, and then put it off, but then Brad added that he was waiting for me now. Taking a deep breath I knock.
"Come in."
"Hey." I curse my voice as it hitches slightly. He looks up from the book in front of him, and part of me hopes he'll tell me to come back after he's done with his homework. He doesn't. He closes the book quickly, and rolls so he's sitting up and motions for me to sit down. I take his computer chair and swivel it so I can look at him.
"Mark..." He starts, but I quickly raise my hand.
"Wait, can I say what I need to first?" He nods, and fixes his eyes on me.
"Go ahead." I take a deep breath and try and gather my courage.
"I'm not avoiding you because your sick."
"I know." He replies quietly.
"I shouldn't be avoiding you, and I'm sorry." I continue "but, I just get nervous that I'll say the wrong thing, or I'll move the wrong way, and I just don't want to hurt you anymore." He's quiet for a minute.
"I understand that," He replies at last. "But it hurt that you avoided me." I duck my head a little, and I can feel Randy's gaze still on me.
"I didn't mean too." I say at last. "The last thing I wanted to do, I ended up doing."
"I appreciate that you were trying to be so considerate Mark, I really do, but you shouldn't be afraid to come near me because of it."
"I just didn't want to do anything else to upset you." I say softly.
"I know." He's being so understanding. I sigh and lean back in the computer chair and take a minute to study him. He seems pale, and perhaps a little green around the edges. I think he's having one of his bad days. I've only heard of chemo therapy, and seen it in movies, and all that is, is a vague glamorized version of what it is. In the movies, they don't show when the person is so sick they can barely stand. Nor do they show when the person hurts so badly it hurts you to have to watch them try and function. They show you none of that in the movies. The movies show a toned down version. He flinches a little under my gaze, and I advert my eyes.
"Are you up to going to the game tomorrow?" I ask in concern.
"I'll be all right, besides I've never been to one of his games."
"I thought you didn't care about the games."
"I don't, but I thought it might be nice to go and be supportive for a change." I'm not sure how to answer that. I sit slightly stunned, and wait for him to continue, he however, isn't meeting my eyes anymore. He's looking at his bed, drawing little marks on his quilt with his finger. He looks so tired all of a sudden. Like talking has totally worn him out.
"You know, he'd understand if you didn't go." I say at last, for some reason, I don't want him to go. Something nags at the back of my mind that he shouldn't go.
"I know." I'm starting to wish he'd say something else. I'm suddenly very uncomfortable in his presence. Like I've intruded on time he could be using to sleep.
"Well, I'm going to go upstairs. If you do go to the game tomorrow-"
"I'll buy you a hot dog." Randy said with a slight smirk. I can't help but grin a little back.
"Its a deal. I'll let you get back to your homework." Randy nods his head and reaches for his book, rolling on this stomach in the process. He seems painfully thin to me, and I shift my eyes towards the stairs.
"Bye." I offer weakly as he glances up.
"Bye Mark, and don't worry so much, I'm fine." As I ascend the stairs, I can only think of what an overstatement that is. He is many things, but right now, fine is defiantly
Author Notes- Thanks to Peanut for beta reading for me.
This chapter is for Amy, my most loyal reviewer, thanks!
Chapter 14 - I Know (Mark's POV)
I hesitate outside the door. Brad had pulled me aside when I got home and quickly spilled the story that Randy thought I was avoiding him because he was sick, and that I should talk to him. I would have said that I would, and then put it off, but then Brad added that he was waiting for me now. Taking a deep breath I knock.
"Come in."
"Hey." I curse my voice as it hitches slightly. He looks up from the book in front of him, and part of me hopes he'll tell me to come back after he's done with his homework. He doesn't. He closes the book quickly, and rolls so he's sitting up and motions for me to sit down. I take his computer chair and swivel it so I can look at him.
"Mark..." He starts, but I quickly raise my hand.
"Wait, can I say what I need to first?" He nods, and fixes his eyes on me.
"Go ahead." I take a deep breath and try and gather my courage.
"I'm not avoiding you because your sick."
"I know." He replies quietly.
"I shouldn't be avoiding you, and I'm sorry." I continue "but, I just get nervous that I'll say the wrong thing, or I'll move the wrong way, and I just don't want to hurt you anymore." He's quiet for a minute.
"I understand that," He replies at last. "But it hurt that you avoided me." I duck my head a little, and I can feel Randy's gaze still on me.
"I didn't mean too." I say at last. "The last thing I wanted to do, I ended up doing."
"I appreciate that you were trying to be so considerate Mark, I really do, but you shouldn't be afraid to come near me because of it."
"I just didn't want to do anything else to upset you." I say softly.
"I know." He's being so understanding. I sigh and lean back in the computer chair and take a minute to study him. He seems pale, and perhaps a little green around the edges. I think he's having one of his bad days. I've only heard of chemo therapy, and seen it in movies, and all that is, is a vague glamorized version of what it is. In the movies, they don't show when the person is so sick they can barely stand. Nor do they show when the person hurts so badly it hurts you to have to watch them try and function. They show you none of that in the movies. The movies show a toned down version. He flinches a little under my gaze, and I advert my eyes.
"Are you up to going to the game tomorrow?" I ask in concern.
"I'll be all right, besides I've never been to one of his games."
"I thought you didn't care about the games."
"I don't, but I thought it might be nice to go and be supportive for a change." I'm not sure how to answer that. I sit slightly stunned, and wait for him to continue, he however, isn't meeting my eyes anymore. He's looking at his bed, drawing little marks on his quilt with his finger. He looks so tired all of a sudden. Like talking has totally worn him out.
"You know, he'd understand if you didn't go." I say at last, for some reason, I don't want him to go. Something nags at the back of my mind that he shouldn't go.
"I know." I'm starting to wish he'd say something else. I'm suddenly very uncomfortable in his presence. Like I've intruded on time he could be using to sleep.
"Well, I'm going to go upstairs. If you do go to the game tomorrow-"
"I'll buy you a hot dog." Randy said with a slight smirk. I can't help but grin a little back.
"Its a deal. I'll let you get back to your homework." Randy nods his head and reaches for his book, rolling on this stomach in the process. He seems painfully thin to me, and I shift my eyes towards the stairs.
"Bye." I offer weakly as he glances up.
"Bye Mark, and don't worry so much, I'm fine." As I ascend the stairs, I can only think of what an overstatement that is. He is many things, but right now, fine is defiantly