CHAPTER 13: BETTER

Mark and I drove home in silence, and I was too apprehensive to inquire about what had transpired with him. The only conversation we had was about what I wanted from McDonald's. We picked up our food at the drive-thru and didn't bother going inside the restaurant.

During the ride home, I couldn't help but notice that Mark was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that the whites of his knuckles were showing.

As we pulled into our driveway, both John's and my dad's cars were already parked there. I was too drained to engage in any conversations. Despite my upcoming birthday and graduation tomorrow, all I wanted was to get some rest.

Mark helped me move my belongings and some of his into the house.

"How's it going, and how did it go?" John inquired. None of us raised our hands or spoke up. "Just give it to me already!" he exclaimed, and yet neither of us raised our voices.

"Let's give them some time to settle in. They've probably been out all day. We can talk tomorrow," my dad sugg