Lauren McDermott

For whatever reason, Marcus found it a little hard to look Lauren right into the eyes as they confessed and apologized. Deep down he knew he had still cared for her, and even wanted her back but those chances were just so slim in his eyes. Even when they were together, he was a shitty boyfriend. “Well I still owe you an apology. For everything,” he confessed.

“Then why don’t you just apologize instead of saying you need to do it. Actions are louder than words, Marcus.” She huffed out without thinking. It just came out. She hadn’t meant for it to come out so defiantly, but it had. She felt her cheeks redden. Her fingers flew to her lips to silence any other words to come out. Watching him, he was still not able to look her in the eye. An instant rush of melancholy poured over her. Hadn’t he just shown her how sorry he was? Hadn’t he just demonstrated an action by tonight? Without invitation, not knowing what was running through his mind, or through her own, really, she crossed the room and sat on the edge of his bed. “You can kick me out or whatever. But let me say this first. I’m quick to judge and I don’t process my emotions very well so things just blurt out. I’m sorry for that comment. It was uncalled for. I appreciate you helping with the heater and bringing me Chinese food. It’s weird seeing you all the time and feeling like total strangers. Sometimes I wish I had more money so I could just move out and have time to completely get over you. It’s so hard with you around all the time.” Unexpectedly, she felt her eyes sting with tears. But she fought them from leaking. “God, don’t listen to me. I’m just PMSing. I’ll leave you alone now.”

It wasn’t like something like this was extremely rare. They definitely had those moments where they weren’t down each other’s throats, and those were the moments Marcus liked to think about. Even if it brought them to thinking about the last time they were kinda getting along, but as well teasing each other in the shower. Her bare body was really something he couldn’t get out of his body. “Still, it’s a little weird not seeing you yell at me over something,” he admitted, shrugging his shoulders before he swung his legs over to lay them onto the bed. “Maybe I just don’t wanna get in your way, you know? I’m tired being some kind of dick to you.”

Lauren’s lower lip caught onto her top row of teeth and her eyes fell to the ground. She leaned her body against the doorframe at the threshold to his room. His comment hit her for some reason. It was like a weight of some sort just brushed off her shoulder. Looking back up, she confessed too. “I’m tired of being such an ass to you. It’s exhausting.”

Marcus set his food down on his small night stand by his bed, a beer bottle placed right next to the plastic bag before settling down on his bed. Just as he was untying the laces to his shoes, his eyes shot up and noticed Lauren there in his room. It was a little confusing seeing her here, unless there was something else she had to say to him. Had he forgotten he had done something that would piss her off again? Like maybe not clean the bathroom? He was sure he had, but once she picked up his controller instead, his eyebrows furrowed together. “…what are you doing?” He asked, making the confusion clear in his tone as he stared up at her. “Why are you being nice?”

“What?” She returned his confused look with one of her own. There was no way she was actually going to talk this out logically with him. She wasn’t sure what her pull towards him right now was, but she was just going with it. First it was her blowing up at him when he brought that girl home. It wasn’t like he hadn’t done so before. Then the whole shower fiasco where she almost did something they both could’ve been regretting right now. But that...that moment. God. She can’t allow herself to think about it too much because it’s a dangerous thought process. Then he brings home Chinese food and fixes the heater. If anyone’s being nice around here, it’s him. “I’m not being that nice. I’m just bored, Marcus. Amuse me.”

It was a little strange for there to be silence, but maybe it was a good thing for now. Nothing but the sound coming from the television as he continued to work on the heater. Several minutes, changing between the two tools he needed, Marcus then stood himself up and adjusted the temperature to check if it’d work now. Slowly he began to feel the heat come out, which gave him a satisfied feeling. “All better now, I hope,” he said as he gathered his tools and walked back over to the kitchen to put them away before grabbing some food for himself. “I’ll uh, I’ll get out of your way,” he said as he rounded that corner to walk down the hallway.

There was a small gust of heat that traveled to her on the couch, making her settle into the cushions more comfortably. “Yes, thank you. Much better.” Try as she did to force her gaze onto the television screen, they shot up at him when he dismissed himself. It was strange, this pull towards him. Maybe she had just spent all week by herself and she wanted some company. That, or the guy she had been seeing was blowing her off recently. Whatever the case, she found herself walking towards his room. She didn’t try to find an excuse for following him, she just went with it. Into his room she strode, ignorant of the possibility of probably bothering him. “Hey...you still play videogames?” She spoke as she picked up one of the controllers. “Want to play?”

Since the last time the two had gotten into it with each other, Marcus had guilt over flowing him. Perhaps he was still bitter with her after their break up, and although it was a poor one, it was possibly still an excuse for all of his actions and misbehavior as if Lauren’s thoughts didn’t matter. The two did share the apartment after all. Fifty fifty, right? As of late Marcus had tried to be as civil, and to not be as much as a douche he had been. Though, it seemed more like avoiding Lauren all together. Not his intention, but at least the two weren’t down each other’s throats. Once work had been over, Marcus ended up picking both of them up some Chinese take out as a bit of a truce. Even if it would probably only be him giving it to her and then walking back to his room. It bugged him where they were now, but really he couldn’t blame anyone but himself. Walking in through the door, he was a little taken back at her reaction to him being home. The guy’s face read confusion, honestly. “O-okay? I don’t think dinner is needed though. I can fix it for free,” he said with a shrug as he slowly took off his jacket and hung it up, set the food down onto the table before making his way over. “Just maybe get my tools from under the sink and then there’s something waiting for you on the table..”

Freely offering help? Now it was she who mirrored his look of confusion. “Uhmm..okay?” Slowly she walked over to where he probably kept his tools. Her eyes brushed past him on her way, as if settling on some stranger. But she shrugged it off. She really wanted her heat back on, and if he was offering help without a reward than more power to her. The smell hit her before her eyes landed on the plastic bags containing the most wonderful scents. Chinese food. Her mouth started to water. Her brows furrowed though. A mixture of happiness and confusion washed over her. “Chinese?” She yelled over her shoulder, back at him. Did he remember that was her favorite type of stay-at-home food? It seemed like he was being awfully nice to her. Nicer than he had been when they were actually dating, excluding the first few months of course. She walked over and grabbed his tools and then joined him back over to the broken heater. “Thank you for the food, seriously. I...uh...I owe you.” She walked over to the kitchen cabinets and began to get some dishes out. She placed them as a stack on their little table. Not necessarily setting them on the table, because she wasn’t sure they would actually eat together. “We can watch that show that I always refuse to watch. But just like, 10 minutes. That’s as nice as I’ll go.” She smiled softly, offering an olive branch.

Maybe Marcus wasn’t being entirely fair. He needed to remember that Lauren had her stressful days, and she really knew how to make them announce them. Not that it was a problem. He understood, and even by now he should be used to it with how long they’ve dated and even how long they’ve lived together. It was really a flaw that Marcus secretly liked, and no. This couldn’t be happening now where he was thinking of all the small things that would piss anyone off but really it brought a smile to his face. At least on the inside. He was sure she found it annoying, but he couldn’t help but to find her to be so angry to be cute. With the exception though where things would go too far and she’d be at her angriest. “Hey, that’s not fair. Just because clothes were still on the ground when you got home doesn’t mean I didn’t blame to pick them up.”

Lauren ran down the mental checklist of things she’d need. Really it was just a toothbrush because Mackenzie, as the ever so beautiful best friend, was used to having Lauren raid her closet. If Mackenzie weren’t already married, Lauren would have gladly asked to rent out an apartment together when things with Marcus turned sour and ended. But as life didn’t turn out that way, Mackenzie’s place is still open once in a while as a safe harbor. 

“Wait why would you need the conditioner for? You just got out- you know what? I’m not even gonna ask,” he said, shaking his head a bit as he just knelt down next to her and grabbed a new bottle from her under the skin. Was there a reason why she couldn’t do this herself? Again, another question Marcus wouldn’t bother with. “Here. Now let me shower,” he said as he then began to unbutton his jeans and quickly shoved them down his legs, not hesitating at all with his boxers next even with Laur in his presence.

“I forgot to condition my hair.” The words fell from her lips as her eyes weren’t subtle about running down with his pair of boxers to the floor. She’d seen him naked so many times. It didn’t matter that he was stripping down right in front of her. It didn’t. Nope. Then why did she feel her cheeks heat up? She covered a sigh with a fake cough. “I was here first though, so...I’m just going to jump in the shower.” She threw her towel on the ground and got in the shower before he could.

The weekend had arrived. A work free weekend, and already Marcus had the plans for himself to spend the time with a friend he’s gotten close to as of late. Nothing was ever too serious between him and the blonde, really more so out of fun what they shared. It was an understanding that they agreed upon when they first met and nothing changed since then. Truth be told no matter how much he even distracted himself with another woman, Marcus knew he wasn’t ready to start another relationship. Mainly because he wasn’t ready to move on from Lauren. He refused to move on really, but couldn’t admit it.

Lauren was ignorant of the scene she was causing. It was as if the blonde was a little bug trying to get in her food and she simply swatted it away. But with Marcus’ gentle guidance, the realization of what she had done came looming upon her. She didn’t feel bad though, she was still angry - and quite frankly, a little hurt. At least when she brought her guy friend over, she made absolutely sure that Marcus wasn’t occupying any inch of the apartment. Maybe she should change her ways. Maybe she was overreacting. She listened to Marcus and rolled her eyes. “Sorry to inconvenience you and your guest. Perhaps next time you should hang a do-not-disturb sign and I, the maid, will come back another time to clean up your mess.” She was heated and on a roll. Sarcasm spilled out of her like hot lava erupting from a volcano.

If that’s what you want me to think then I’ll play along..

Shit - the conditioner ran out. Can you hand me another from under the sink?