The following week, Matthew and I grew closer at school, but Mark's behavior became increasingly awkward. He'd often appear when I was with Matthew, making me feel trapped. Due to Catherine's warning to avoid Mark, I'd have to leave whenever he showed up. Yesterday, Matthew asked to speak with me privately, sparking my curiosity. I wondered if he might confess his feelings, but I pushed the thought aside, knowing our friendship isn't that intimate yet.
He suggested meeting at the library before lunch, he said iit as a safe spot to avoid Mark, who rarely visited. As we agreed, he left first, and I followed shortly after. Meeting him at the library, I felt a flutter in my chest, unsure what to expect.
"You're probably wondering why I asked you here?" Matthew said, his question hanging in the air.
I responded hesitantly "Well..."
Matthew smiled knowingly and said, "I can see it written all over your face."
He continued, "It's about Mark though."
I was taken aback, "Mark? Why are we talking about Mark?"
"I noticed you've been avoiding Mark, so I wanted to discuss it." Matthew explained.
I expressed my confusion, "We're not friends, and we always argue. Isn't it better to stay away?"
Matthew's response surprised me, "Mark isn't as bad as he seems. He's kind and reliable."
"Did you say kind and reliable? Are we still talking about the same Mark?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm talking about the same Mark." Matthew said.
"Well, I want to share a story with you. It's Mark's past actually, you'd get to understand the traumatic experience that changed him." Matthew said.
I remained quiet to listen. "Some years back, Mark was a good church boy. You might be shocked to know I became like this because of him," Matthew said, looking at me.
"What do you mean?" I thought, intrigued.
"Exactly as you heard. One day, his Mom got sick and stayed sick for months. They took her to several hospitals, but she didn't get better." Matthew said,
"Mark always prayed for as and with her everyday. He'd ask God to heal her. Back then, he would always tell me miracles in the Bible and how he believed his Mom would be alright." Matthew continued, but his face was now etched with sadness.
"Sadly, she didn't get better but only grew worse. One day while Mark was with her, she fell asleep didn't wake up. Mark prayed for God to raise her from the dead, but it never happened. After that day, Mark changed from the good church boy to the person you see today," Matthew said, taking a deep breath.
I was touched by Mark's story. "He felt life failed him, and God failed him, so he's venting his anger on life," Matthew added.
I felt a deep sadness for Mark, imagining the pain of losing a loved one. Matthew's words painted a different picture of Mark, one that made me wonder if there was more to him than I'd initially thought.
"How old was he then?" I asked.
"He was seven, and it's been nine years. He still hasn't let go of that sadness, which is why he's like this," Matthew explained.
"I didn't know that Mark had such a sad experience in life. Then his mother I know?" I asked.
"She's his step mother. I hope you can give him a chance to show you how good he is," Matthew added.
"A chance?" I repeated.
"Sorry, I meant you shouldn't write him off as a terrible person. He's great when you get to know him," Matthew clarified.
I hesitated, citing Catherine's warnings, but Matthew's words lingered, making me curious about Mark's true nature.
"I see what you mean, but he's always irritating me. How do I ignore that? Besides, Catherine said I should stay away from him, so we can't be friends," I said.
"Catherine? Why?" Matthew asked, surprised.
I explained, "Why are you acting surprised? Everyone knows Catherine likes Mark. She misunderstood when she saw Mark close to me the other day and asked me to stay away."
Matthew's face fell, and he looked sad. I wondered if it was because I was still refusing to be friends with Mark.
I tried to reassure him, "You don't have to feel sad; I'll try to see Mark as the awesome person you say he is. I hope it makes you feel better?"
Matthew's expression lifted slightly, and he smiled faintly. "It does. That's good then."
He suggested we head to lunch before it ended. As we left the library, we bumped into Mark.
"Where have you been, Matt? I've been searching everywhere for you," Mark asked, his gaze lingering on me disapprovingly.
"And why are you with Minion again?"
Matthew cut him off, saying, "Enough, Mark. We're heading for lunch. Are you coming or not?"
Without waiting for a response, Matthew continued walking. As we entered the cafeteria, I noticed Matthew's subdued demeanor. Our earlier conversation about Mark seemed to have affected him, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was still bothering him. Despite Matthew's hopes for me to befriend Mark, I knew it was unlikely due to Catherine's feelings, and I planned to maintain my distance from Mark, hoping Matthew would understand.
The rest of the school day dragged on, and Matthew's mood remained subdued. He seemed lost in thought, and I couldn't quite read his expression. I wondered if our conversation about Mark had weighed heavily on his mind. Despite trying to reassure him, I sensed that something was still bothering him.