This chapter was fun and easy. Why can't they all be like that? Enjoy!

MARK'S P.O.V.

After leaving Layla's apartment, I felt so wrong, so dirty. And not in a good way. Don't get me wrong, it was amazing will Layla. But it was amazing with Lexie too. So amazing that I chose to secretly date her, despite the wishes of my best friend. Was I going to do the same thing with Layla too?

No.

No, because I hated Layla. I hated her for coming in unexpectedly and making me need her touch so much. Making me need to be with her when I knew I should just go to Lexie. Lexie, my girlfriend, the one who wouldn't hurt a fly (intentionally). So why did my body tell me to be with Layla?

And why didn't I just refuse like my heart and head told me too. It's weird; normally people talk about how they follow their heart over their head or vice versa. I've never heard of the heart and head of a person joining forces to fight the body. It was a shame that, in my case, the body was so strong and so used to getting what it wanted.

I drove a little over the speed limit to Callie and Arizona's apartment. Half to make up for lost time spent at Layla's, half because driving with speed required my full attention. And if I was focused solely on the road, I wouldn't have to think about my most recent treachery. Thankfully there were no cops around to bust me.

"Mark!" Callie said as soon as she saw me on the other side of the door. She wrapped her arms around me. Then I knew something was definitely up; Callie was not the type of girl to cry while holding on to you for dear life, not unless there was something majorly bothering her.

I led us into the apartment and shut the door since Callie showed no signs of moving any time soon. I let her hold on to me for a few minutes, then gently pushed her away, holding her shoulders steady and stooping down to look her in the eye.

"What's wrong?" I asked. It took her a few minutes to collect enough air to speak.

"My mother called me," she explained. I sat her down on the couch, letting go of her shoulders and dropping down next to her. At first I didn't realize why this would upset her so much, but then I remembered the whole 'disowning thing' that had happened when Callie's dad found out about Arizona. Still, she seemed to be overreacting to me. But instead of saying that, I played the role of supportive best friend.

"Your mother? What did she want? I thought they weren't talking to you?" Okay, so maybe I wasn't the best at being the supportive best friend. Give me some credit though, the only relationship I've ever had with a woman previous to this was 'bang her and dump her'. Excluding a few flings that lasted longer than that, and what I had going with Addison.

"My…my dad had a heart attack. He's in intensive care, and they're not sure he'll make it," Callie quietly informed me. She let her head fall against my shoulder. "I don't know what to do. I want to go down and be with him, but I'm not sure….I think they all hate me Mark." This quiet confession caught me off guard.

"Callie, that's ridiculous. Anyone who hates you would have to be stupid. Besides, they're your family. They need you just as much as you need them right now, and even though you may not be in the best of positions with them at the moment, this could be your one chance to make it better. If you even want to." More like supportive best friend, right? I was pretty proud of myself. "Look, I'm not going to tell you what to do. That's a decision you'll have to make on your own. But if I were in your position, I'd want to be with my family." Callie took several deep breaths to calm herself down and for a few minutes we sat in silence.

"Thank you Mark," she said finally. "I know you're right. I should be with my family. I'm just afraid that they won't want me there and I'm not sure if I could handle all of it on my own….Do you think Arizona would come with me?"

"I think Arizona would do anything if you asked her to," I laughed. Callie laughed too, significantly less upset than when I had arrived. But then suddenly she pulled her head away from me.

"What cologne do you have on?" she asked. Random?

"Same as always," I replied, thoroughly confused.

"No you don't it smells different….It smells like…." She looked at me in horror, eyes wide with a realization unknown to me. "It smells like sex!"

"I…I was with Lexie!" I said quickly, mentally kicking myself with a steel-toe boot.

"Liar! You said you were out with Layla when I called you!" Callie accused, standing up from the couch. The mental foot kicking me exchanged the boot for soccer cleats. I looked at the floor, no longer able to look at Callie's angry, disappointed eyes. "I told you this would happen, Mark. I told you to stay away from her!"

"I know, Callie. I know. And I didn't listen, and now I'm paying the price for it." I stood too, trying to look like I wasn't falling apart. "You think I'm happy right now? You think I'm not ashamed of what just happened? I just…I can't help myself! I see her, and I just want her…not even, I need her. I can't explain it to you Callie. I just…need to feel her."

"What about Lexie?" Callie asked quietly after a long pause. My eyes flashed and I rallied up once more. I would have looked intimidating to anyone but Callie, who could always see right through me.

"Lexie," I began firmly, "is never going to know about this. Tomorrow starts a new day, and I'm going to be the perfect boyfriend and everything will be la-di-freaking-da."

"Is that what you're telling yourself?" I turned from Callie then, afraid my anger and frustration would explode and she would get hurt. I knew I had no right to be angry, except at myself. Which I was, trust me. I was totally pissed at myself.

"Damn it Callie! Stop it! Everything is going to be just fine, okay? Because I will never do what I just did again. Doesn't matter how amazing it felt, I can hardly live with myself. Just the thought of what I did makes me want to die," I admitted loudly. Callie crossed her arms, staring me down. I could feel her eyes burning into me, examining me.

"I sure hope you're right Mark, because Lexie doesn't deserve you if you're just going to sleep around behind her back. She doesn't really deserve you anyway, but for some reason, she wants you."

"And I want her too," I said quietly. At last I turned back to Callie, pleading. "Please don't tell her Callie. I don't want to lose her." Callie was silent for a minute, contemplating.

"I swear to God Mark, if it ever happens again—" I was on her before she could finish her sentence, my arms wrapped around her gratefully.

"Thank you Callie," I whispered.

When I left Callie's apartment, I checked my phone to see what time it was. A text message awaited me. Apparently I hadn't heard or felt it go off, and I was very thankful for that. The message was from Layla and I was pretty sure that Callie would have murdered me if she knew.

You left your tee-shirt. Again haha. Want to come get it :)?

What really made me feel sick is that the answer was 'Yes'. I did want to go get it.

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