BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

As I entered my hotel room some few odd hours later, I couldn't help but think to myself that I just wanted this day to be over with already. If not for the fact that Matt's words--from before--kept continuously playing over and over in my head again, then because of the fact that the swelling around my eye was starting to make it harder for me to even blink.

If it feels this bad, I can only imagine what it looks like

With that thought in mind, I absentmindedly made a bee-line for the bathroom mirror; hoping that it wasn't as bad as it felt.

And fortunately, or rather unfortunately enough, it wasn't….it was worse.

"Shit."

Knowing I was going to have a shiner in the morning, instead of tending to the bruise, I quickly made my way out of the bathroom and towards my bed; figuring that now, more than ever, would be a good time for me to pull out my journal; wanting to put every single thing I was thinking and feeling down onto paper. But interestingly enough before I could even take the small note-book out of my suit-case, there was a slight vibration in my back pocket; letting me know that someone was trying to get in touch with me.

Mark…I inwardly commented to myself while checking the caller-id on my cell-phone and then quickly answering the phone after two rings. "Hello?"

"Hey Red, it's me…"

Even though we had just gotten into an argument not even two hours ago, just the sound of Mark's voice alone caused me to feel slightly better; knowing that he was the one person I knew who could, on any given day, turn my small frown into a slight smile.

"Hey…I was just about to call you."

"I figured as much…you mind if I come over?"

Even though I knew I probably looked like hell right now, my urge to see him was bigger than my need to cover my face up, so I quickly replied: "I'll be here when you get here."

To say that Mark had taken the short route from the arena would've been an understatement.

Not even fifteen minutes after I had hung up with him, was he knocking at the door to my hotel room.

"Just a second," I yelled, before quickly looking once again at the bathroom-mirror, hoping for some sort of big improvement to happen. But after seeing obviously none, I went back into the main room and opened the door for Mark to come inside.

"Hey you…" Was on the tip of my tongue, but before I could get it out, he cut me off with: "You're going to need to put some Neosporin on that thing."

A comment which caused me to inwardly think: Well, hello to you too, before moving aside to let Mark in and then afterwards turning around to close the door behind him. "I'm glad you stopped by."

"I figured we needed to talk about what happened earlier." Mark nonchalantly replied, causing me to silently nod my head in agreement before outwardly reciting Mark the speech that I had prepared for him on the way back home from the arena.

"About that…I just wanted to apologize for slapping you earlier. I had no right to do so. I was just so upset with what was going on that I took it out on you. I shouldn't have done that."

After staring at me for a second—probably trying to see if I was lying or not—Mark began to slowly nod his head and then afterwards, he replied: "I understand…that's why I'm here."

I knew he would make it all better…

As if hearing my thoughts, Mark turned his attention away from me for a second and then abruptly replied: "I think we should stop seeing each other."

What..?

Not having expected that comment caused me to outwardly reply: "What…why? I said I was sorry, I didn't—"

"I know!" Mark said, cutting me off. "I know you're sorry, Red, but don't you see…? I'm the one who should be sorry, not you."

What…?

Still not understanding what he was talking about 'caused me to open my mouth to say just that, but just like before, Mark interrupted me.

"Red, ever since you and I got together, I've been having you do all these things that I know you aren't used to doing: sneaking around, keeping secrets from your friends, fighting with your friends. You used to never do any of that before I came along..."

Mark had a point. That was all true. But it wasn't like he was forcing me to do any of that.

"But you weren't making me do any of those things Mark, I was the one who didn't want to tell anyone yet and I was the one who kept it from Matt and Jeff 'cause I knew they wouldn't be able to understand. That wasn't you!"

"I know…" Mark replied, once again, "It wasn't me….but it has to be me that walks away."

No…

"I can't do this anymore with you, Red."

Stop…

"Knowing just how much I have affected your life…it hurts me to know that I was the one who broke up yours and the Hardyz friendship. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." I wanted to say, but at the moment, just like earlier with Matt, tears were starting to run down my face and I was afraid that if I would've opened my mouth to say that comment out loud, the sob that threatened to spill out, would do just that. So, like before, I remained quiet.

"It has to be this way." Mark continued, after turning around so I wouldn't be able to see his eyes—which were, interestingly enough, now without his infamous pair of dark sun-glasses shielding them for me to see. "I guess I'll let myself out now."

As Mark began to make his way towards the door, my mind was screaming for him to stay. But with tears coming down my face and the weight of everything that happened today hitting me head-on, I could barely open my mouth to let the words come out.

And it was only after Mark had opened the door and walked out of it, did I even have the strength to say:

"I love you!"

Next part soon.