Chapter 8: Life Beyond Marie
When I'm not with Marie, my life is a different story. My mom and I live together, and while she's an amazing person, we do have our disagreements. One person who often gets caught up in our arguments is my cousin D. The two of them can go at it, debating and arguing about everything from politics to music. I've learned to stay out of their way when they get going, but it's not always easy.
Despite the arguments, my mom is a kind and caring person. She's always looking out for me, making sure I'm doing okay. We've had our tough times, but she's the one who's been there for me through thick and thin.
My sister Kylie is a sweet girl, and she's dating Steve, Carly's brother. Carly's my ex, and she's got short blonde hair and piercing green eyes. We've been on and off for years, but I've finally realized that I'm better off without her. The problem is, she doesn't seem to understand that. She always tries to get me back, and I have to push her away.
Steve, on the other hand, is a scrawny boy with short brown hair. We used to hang out a lot, and he'd try to get me to do all sorts of bad things. But since I met Marie, I've been trying to do better. I've been trying to be a better person, someone who's worthy of her love and affection.
It's not easy, though. Old habits die hard, and Steve's still got a hold on me. He'll call me up and ask me to do something stupid, and for a moment, I'll hesitate. But then I'll think about Marie, and I'll know that I can't go down that road again. Or so I thought.
One day, Steve called me up, and I could hear the excitement in his voice. "Dude, I've got a plan," he said. "We're going to sneak into the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. I heard there's some sweet graffiti art in there."
At first, I was hesitant. I knew it was a bad idea, and I didn't want to get in trouble. But Steve was persistent, and eventually, he wore me down. "Come on, it'll be fun," he said. "We'll be in and out in no time."
I sighed, feeling a familiar pang of guilt. "Fine, but just for a minute," I said.
Steve whooped in excitement, and we made plans to meet up. As we snuck into the warehouse, my heart was racing. I knew this was a bad idea, and I was going to regret it.
Just as we were exploring the space, we got caught by my mom's brother, Uncle Joe, and my cousin D. They were out for a drive and happened to see us sneaking out of the warehouse.
"What's going on here?" Uncle Joe asked, his voice stern.
Steve and I exchanged a nervous glance. We knew we were in trouble.
As we were walking back to Uncle Joe's car, Carly appeared out of nowhere. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked, her eyes fixed on me.
I knew that look. It was the look she got when she thought she had an advantage over me. "Just getting in trouble with Steve," I said, trying to brush it off.
Carly smiled, her eyes sparkling with interest. "Well, maybe this is a chance for us to talk things through," she said, her voice dripping with suggestion.
I knew I had to be strong. I couldn't let Carly get to me. "There's nothing to talk about, Carly," I said firmly. "I'm with Marie now, and I'm happy."
Carly's face fell, but she quickly recovered. "We'll see about that," she said, her voice laced with determination.
We all ended up at my cramped 2-bedroom apartment, with Steve and I facing the music from my mom and Uncle Joe. Carly was hovering around me, trying to get my attention.
We all ended up in my room, which I share with Kylie. Steve was lounging on Kylie's bed, while I sat on mine, trying to avoid Carly's gaze. Carly was sitting next to me, trying to make small talk and get me to open up to her.
Kylie was sitting on the floor, leaning against Steve's bed, and she seemed to be enjoying the tension in the room. "So, what's going on with you two?" she asked, nodding towards Steve and me.
Steve grinned. "Just getting into a little trouble," he said, chuckling.
Carly laughed, her eyes locked on mine. "You two are always getting into something," she said, her voice flirtatious. "I love your adventurous spirit," she added, batting her eyelashes.
I felt uncomfortable, but I tried to brush it off. "Just a little mishap," I said, trying to downplay the situation.
Carly leaned in close,