(A short scene between John Smith & Mark James, taking place six months after the events that occurred in “I AM NUMBER FOUR". Warnning may contain *SOILIERS*)
For months I’d been wandering around like a zombie, contemplating if the decisions I’d been making lately were affecting those I cared about. And while I would confide in Sam the truth was he didn’t know how to deal with the isolation I’ve felt my entire life. This was the first time he felt cut off from the world but I think at the point he was adjusting better than I was. I couldn’t think about the others or my destiny all I thought about was her...Sarah Hart.
Sitting there dwelling on painful memories, which had occurred only six months ago, and staring at the dial button to Sarah’s number on my cell I paused. What if she didn’t want to talk to me? I expected such a reaction considering all that I put her through and what could I possibly have to offer her when I couldn’t even be with her at the present time? Those were questing lingering inside until I felt as if I could blow, and I mean literally blow! But instead of pressing my thumb down on the key pad of my iphone I chickened out. My substitute option took over as I scrolled to a name in my list of contacts that I never imagined talking to again.
There I was sitting in a motel room, alone with my ear eagerly bunged up against my cell listening for the receiving end to answer.
“Hello?” I nearly gasped when he answered.
“Hey...Mark...it’s me.” Boy did that sound stupid.
“John?”
“Yeah...”
The reaction was awkward enough but he replied without letting too much silence cave in. “Wow...it’s been awhile... Good to hear from you man...so where are you guys?”
I didn’t want to openly discuss location details in case of putting Mark and Sarah in danger; I made that choice from the moment I left them standing there in the parking lot. I didn’t call to talk about my travels...i wanted to talk for the sake of talking which was the only normal thing I’d managed to neglect for the past several months on the road.
“Better to keep you in the dark about that.” I said heavily. “With everything that’s been going on, the last thing I wanna do is kick up more dirt. Let’s just say...we’re pretty far from Ohio and it’s really hot where we are.”
“I saw your number on my phone and wasn’t sure about answering at first.” Mark admitted; though I didn’t hold anything against him i was an ass for not calling in so long. “But...I’m glad you called anyway...”
“Were people asking questions...after what happened at the school or...when Sam and I suddenly bailed town?”
“What the hell do you think? I mean you guys blew up half the school!” his tone was harsh and yet with a hint of sincerity. He was completely nothing like the person I got mixed up with when I first moved to Paradise with Henri. I managed to underestimate Mark James more than once but his consideration to help me, after that YouTube -video of me jumping out of a burning house, took me by surprise. Even more so when he agreed to look after Sarah for me when I left, I was grateful to have more than one person who accepted what and who I really was with no questions asked. “Sam’s mom has been driving my dad insane with her late night house calls. And don’t even get me started on that damn reporter following me and Sarah around.”
I swallowed hard soaking it all in...All the pain and anguish I’d caused since my disappearance...maybe even before that. But what was worse was now Sarah and Mark were left to clean up my messes and answer for my actions. God I’m so stupid.
“I’m sorry Mark.” I said eyes glazing as I fell back against the bed. “I should’ve never involved you both in any of this, it’s my fault that reporter is harassing you.”
“Don’t worry about it man, I can handle my own...” there was something in his voice that told me all was not right as rain. He wasn’t cocky or bitter and although I sensed resentment he wasn’t hanging me out to dry to say the least. “I’m more worried about Sarah these days she...I don’t know...”
It hurt to speak at the mention of her name but not nearly as much as it tortured me to hear how she’d been coping in my absence.
“How...how is Sarah?”
There was a long pause; then I heard Mark clear his throat struggling to summarize what he was going to say next.
“She’s doing okay I guess...” he said softly only to counter the response which immediately threw me off guard. “Is that what you wanted me to say? You’ve been gone without a word for I don’t know six months...” Mark clearly had a thorn in his side that he’d been anxious to get rid of as his voice got serious. “Then suddenly you call out of the blue...you won’t tell me where you guys are...or even if you’re ever coming back....”
I closed my eyes briefly, cursing myself under my breath. “I know and I’m sorry about all that.”
“Just shut up a minute and let me get this out!” Mark snapped. “Now me and you...we haven’t always seen eye to eye... things changed after what you did for me I actually started to think you were a pretty decent guy... But watching Sarah in such pain...there aren’t words...”
“I wish I could be there now.”
“So do I... but you made your choice...and worse you dragged her into this. Do you even care what’s been going on with her at all?”
I gritted my teeth bitterly. “Of course I care! How could you even ask me that?”
“It’s funny you can say that after she spent six months worrying about you whether you were dead or not!” Mark lashed. His voice was just echoing off my eardrum. “I’ve been there for her...but you know it’s not that same... I’m not the person she needs.”
“I know...you’re right...I should’ve just called her.” I said pinching back the tears with my fingers. “Believe me Mark...I never meant for anyone to get hurt...I never wanted this. All I want...is to be there with her...to be normal like her...but it’s just not something I have at my exposal right now.”
“Could’ve fooled me what with those nifty powers.” Mark flared with sarcasm. “Look...I realize I’ll never understand what it are like to be you...but I know a little something about false pretexts... I worked for years building this image for my old man, this shitty viscid! I was Paradise Ohio’s “golden boy”, captain of the football team and I hated it! My point is...you either are the person you’re supposed to be...or the person you want to be....and Sarah needs someone who wants to be there for her.”
“Have you talked to her lately?” My anxiety was killing me, at this rate I was going to be in the dog-house for century’s worth by the time I got around to making amends to Sarah. “I mean...how did she seem?” I stumbled like a moron on a question I wasn’t sure needed to be asked.
“She’s...gone...”
My jaw nearly hit the floor when I sat up. “What do you mean by gone? Where the hell is she Mark?” I was so afraid of what his next response would be; my palms were sweating like crazy as the intense blue glow of my palms blared throughout the room.
“Sarah left town a couple weeks ago, never said a word to anyone.” Mark said solemnly, the pain in his voice was beckoning. “At first I thought she went looking for you...until I read her diary that she left for her mom to give to me... Basically the last entry talked a lot about her feelings for you, how much it hurt living in this town after you left her behind. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Sarah so miserable in all the years I’ve known her until you came into her life...”
Oh god, what have I done? Sarah was somewhere out there alone...suffering because of me...because I lied to her. I promised to call her when the dust settled, told her she had my heart...that I’d return for her.... I never kept any of my promises and now she was in the midst of the danger that surrounded me. I couldn’t let this happen, not to Sarah... I’d never forgive myself if anything happens to her!
“Mark...”
“My advice...don’t make this any harder for either of you John.” Mark said, struggling to mask his anger. “If you want to fix things...then just do Sarah a favour and let her go.... But don’t sit there and give me excuses because I’m not interested in hearing them... I just want her to be happy...whether she’s with you or not...”
“I have to find her!” I stammered breathlessly, searching for a pen and paper in case Sarah’s diary left any hints that Mark could feed back to me. “Please, if you know something...tell me anything... But I can’t just let her go; I’m sorry Mark that’s the one thing I can’t promise. I love her...”
There was another long pause then a loud sigh. “John if you really love her....you’ll let her go... She can’t spend her whole life waiting for someone who’s not even of this earth... Sarah’s so much more than that and she deserves better...”
“Please Mark; tell me where I can find her, please!”
Mark sighed again. “I don’t know where she is! I wish I did but I don’t...”
“Mark!”
“John just let it go, okay man! You’ve done enough...” I couldn’t believe he wasn’t even going to give me a hint. He had to have known something; I guess it was just like him to protect his friend from me. After all, I’d screwed up a lot in my life. “Look I have to go...I’ll talk to you later...” Then the line went dead.
I couldn’t think let alone breathe as I clutched the phone in my palm. The intensity of my strength had crushed until all that remained was a pile of worthless crap...much like pieces of my broken heart.
For months I’d been wandering around like a zombie, contemplating if the decisions I’d been making lately were affecting those I cared about. And while I would confide in Sam the truth was he didn’t know how to deal with the isolation I’ve felt my entire life. This was the first time he felt cut off from the world but I think at the point he was adjusting better than I was. I couldn’t think about the others or my destiny all I thought about was her...Sarah Hart.
Sitting there dwelling on painful memories, which had occurred only six months ago, and staring at the dial button to Sarah’s number on my cell I paused. What if she didn’t want to talk to me? I expected such a reaction considering all that I put her through and what could I possibly have to offer her when I couldn’t even be with her at the present time? Those were questing lingering inside until I felt as if I could blow, and I mean literally blow! But instead of pressing my thumb down on the key pad of my iphone I chickened out. My substitute option took over as I scrolled to a name in my list of contacts that I never imagined talking to again.
There I was sitting in a motel room, alone with my ear eagerly bunged up against my cell listening for the receiving end to answer.
“Hello?” I nearly gasped when he answered.
“Hey...Mark...it’s me.” Boy did that sound stupid.
“John?”
“Yeah...”
The reaction was awkward enough but he replied without letting too much silence cave in. “Wow...it’s been awhile... Good to hear from you man...so where are you guys?”
I didn’t want to openly discuss location details in case of putting Mark and Sarah in danger; I made that choice from the moment I left them standing there in the parking lot. I didn’t call to talk about my travels...i wanted to talk for the sake of talking which was the only normal thing I’d managed to neglect for the past several months on the road.
“Better to keep you in the dark about that.” I said heavily. “With everything that’s been going on, the last thing I wanna do is kick up more dirt. Let’s just say...we’re pretty far from Ohio and it’s really hot where we are.”
“I saw your number on my phone and wasn’t sure about answering at first.” Mark admitted; though I didn’t hold anything against him i was an ass for not calling in so long. “But...I’m glad you called anyway...”
“Were people asking questions...after what happened at the school or...when Sam and I suddenly bailed town?”
“What the hell do you think? I mean you guys blew up half the school!” his tone was harsh and yet with a hint of sincerity. He was completely nothing like the person I got mixed up with when I first moved to Paradise with Henri. I managed to underestimate Mark James more than once but his consideration to help me, after that YouTube -video of me jumping out of a burning house, took me by surprise. Even more so when he agreed to look after Sarah for me when I left, I was grateful to have more than one person who accepted what and who I really was with no questions asked. “Sam’s mom has been driving my dad insane with her late night house calls. And don’t even get me started on that damn reporter following me and Sarah around.”
I swallowed hard soaking it all in...All the pain and anguish I’d caused since my disappearance...maybe even before that. But what was worse was now Sarah and Mark were left to clean up my messes and answer for my actions. God I’m so stupid.
“I’m sorry Mark.” I said eyes glazing as I fell back against the bed. “I should’ve never involved you both in any of this, it’s my fault that reporter is harassing you.”
“Don’t worry about it man, I can handle my own...” there was something in his voice that told me all was not right as rain. He wasn’t cocky or bitter and although I sensed resentment he wasn’t hanging me out to dry to say the least. “I’m more worried about Sarah these days she...I don’t know...”
It hurt to speak at the mention of her name but not nearly as much as it tortured me to hear how she’d been coping in my absence.
“How...how is Sarah?”
There was a long pause; then I heard Mark clear his throat struggling to summarize what he was going to say next.
“She’s doing okay I guess...” he said softly only to counter the response which immediately threw me off guard. “Is that what you wanted me to say? You’ve been gone without a word for I don’t know six months...” Mark clearly had a thorn in his side that he’d been anxious to get rid of as his voice got serious. “Then suddenly you call out of the blue...you won’t tell me where you guys are...or even if you’re ever coming back....”
I closed my eyes briefly, cursing myself under my breath. “I know and I’m sorry about all that.”
“Just shut up a minute and let me get this out!” Mark snapped. “Now me and you...we haven’t always seen eye to eye... things changed after what you did for me I actually started to think you were a pretty decent guy... But watching Sarah in such pain...there aren’t words...”
“I wish I could be there now.”
“So do I... but you made your choice...and worse you dragged her into this. Do you even care what’s been going on with her at all?”
I gritted my teeth bitterly. “Of course I care! How could you even ask me that?”
“It’s funny you can say that after she spent six months worrying about you whether you were dead or not!” Mark lashed. His voice was just echoing off my eardrum. “I’ve been there for her...but you know it’s not that same... I’m not the person she needs.”
“I know...you’re right...I should’ve just called her.” I said pinching back the tears with my fingers. “Believe me Mark...I never meant for anyone to get hurt...I never wanted this. All I want...is to be there with her...to be normal like her...but it’s just not something I have at my exposal right now.”
“Could’ve fooled me what with those nifty powers.” Mark flared with sarcasm. “Look...I realize I’ll never understand what it are like to be you...but I know a little something about false pretexts... I worked for years building this image for my old man, this shitty viscid! I was Paradise Ohio’s “golden boy”, captain of the football team and I hated it! My point is...you either are the person you’re supposed to be...or the person you want to be....and Sarah needs someone who wants to be there for her.”
“Have you talked to her lately?” My anxiety was killing me, at this rate I was going to be in the dog-house for century’s worth by the time I got around to making amends to Sarah. “I mean...how did she seem?” I stumbled like a moron on a question I wasn’t sure needed to be asked.
“She’s...gone...”
My jaw nearly hit the floor when I sat up. “What do you mean by gone? Where the hell is she Mark?” I was so afraid of what his next response would be; my palms were sweating like crazy as the intense blue glow of my palms blared throughout the room.
“Sarah left town a couple weeks ago, never said a word to anyone.” Mark said solemnly, the pain in his voice was beckoning. “At first I thought she went looking for you...until I read her diary that she left for her mom to give to me... Basically the last entry talked a lot about her feelings for you, how much it hurt living in this town after you left her behind. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Sarah so miserable in all the years I’ve known her until you came into her life...”
Oh god, what have I done? Sarah was somewhere out there alone...suffering because of me...because I lied to her. I promised to call her when the dust settled, told her she had my heart...that I’d return for her.... I never kept any of my promises and now she was in the midst of the danger that surrounded me. I couldn’t let this happen, not to Sarah... I’d never forgive myself if anything happens to her!
“Mark...”
“My advice...don’t make this any harder for either of you John.” Mark said, struggling to mask his anger. “If you want to fix things...then just do Sarah a favour and let her go.... But don’t sit there and give me excuses because I’m not interested in hearing them... I just want her to be happy...whether she’s with you or not...”
“I have to find her!” I stammered breathlessly, searching for a pen and paper in case Sarah’s diary left any hints that Mark could feed back to me. “Please, if you know something...tell me anything... But I can’t just let her go; I’m sorry Mark that’s the one thing I can’t promise. I love her...”
There was another long pause then a loud sigh. “John if you really love her....you’ll let her go... She can’t spend her whole life waiting for someone who’s not even of this earth... Sarah’s so much more than that and she deserves better...”
“Please Mark; tell me where I can find her, please!”
Mark sighed again. “I don’t know where she is! I wish I did but I don’t...”
“Mark!”
“John just let it go, okay man! You’ve done enough...” I couldn’t believe he wasn’t even going to give me a hint. He had to have known something; I guess it was just like him to protect his friend from me. After all, I’d screwed up a lot in my life. “Look I have to go...I’ll talk to you later...” Then the line went dead.
I couldn’t think let alone breathe as I clutched the phone in my palm. The intensity of my strength had crushed until all that remained was a pile of worthless crap...much like pieces of my broken heart.
