CHAPTER 206: WHEN GUILT KNOCKS

June knocked again. The sound echoed off the porch and died somewhere inside.

Still, no answer.

I shifted from one foot to the other, glancing at her. "He’s not picking up."

She sighed, pulling out her phone anyway. "Let me try again."

We both sat on the porch steps.

My screen showed five missed calls, three voice notes, and a bunch of unread messages....all from me to Marcus. The last one was a dumb meme I sent last night hoping he’d laugh. He didn’t even open it.

"I’ve been trying to call him," June said quietly, her voice cracked a little. "He still hasn’t replied. Not even seen the texts."

I sighed and rubbed my hands together. "I sent him stickers... and, like, a small essay."

I tried to smile. "He’s really mad at us."

Silence sat heavy between us.

A car passed down the street, but everything else felt still. I picked at the chipped paint on the porch rail.

My chest felt tight....that kind of ache you can’t swallow away.

"I just hope he’s okay," June said after a moment.

"Me too," I said, staring at the door. "He’s not the type to disappear like this."

She nodded. "Maybe he’s just... avoiding everyone."

Before I could reply, a creak cut through the air.

The door swung open.

Marcus stood there....messy hair, freckles standing out against his pale, tired skin. His hoodie looked slept in.

For a second, he just stared at us. Then his jaw clenched.

"Go." His voice was low. "I don’t want to talk to you."

"Marcus..." I started, standing up. "We just wanted to check on you..."

"I said go."

June stepped forward a little, forcing a smile. "You look wrecked, man. You fighting ghosts or just your shower schedule?"

For a second, I saw the tiny flicker of a smile threatening to break through his anger. But it vanished fast.

Then, he frowned. "Don’t do that," he scoffed. "Don’t act like everything’s fine."

June’s smile faltered. "We’re not...."

"You are," he snapped, stepping back. "You both disappeared and now you show up like it’s some casual visit?"

I swallowed hard. "We didn’t mean to..."

He cut me off. "Don’t. I don’t want to hear excuses. Not from you, Ash. Especially not from you."

My throat tightened. I didn’t even know what to say.

June sighed, already sounding close to snapping.

"Fine," she said, crossing her arms. "We’ve apologized, Marcus. Over and over. Ash’s been losing his mind about this. Yeah, maybe it’s his fault for falling for Dom, but..."

"June..." I tried to stop her, but she kept going.

"....but you should see how much Dominic cares about him. I know you hate them, I know you’re angry, but give them a chance. They’re not who they used to be."

Marcus’s jaw tensed. "Please don’t bullshit me."

He looked up between us. "What do you guys really want from me?"

"To win you back," June shot back. "Win back our friendship."

He laughed bitterly.

"Friendship? That’s what you’re calling it? That died the second you both chose them over me."

We didn’t choose anyone," I said quickly. "Marcus, I fell in love. I didn’t stop being your friend."

I took a small step closer. "Please. I need you, okay? I don’t know how to do this without you."

He scoffed softly. "You need me? For what? You’ve got Dominic now. You’ve got your little Glass Circle crew hyping you up."

He looked at me like I was someone he used to know but didn’t recognize anymore. "You don’t need me."

"God, Marcus," June muttered, shaking her head. "You seriously need therapy."

"June," I said quietly, grabbing her wrist. "Stop."

He looked away.

"Marcus, please," I said again. "Just... hear me out. There’s so much I haven’t told you. I haven’t been okay lately. I...."

He cut me off.

"I’m not interested."

Then stepped back.

I saw something slip....his hand twitched at his side, like he wanted to reach out but couldn’t make himself do it. His voice wavered just slightly when he said.

"I’m starting at a new school next week. Maybe I’ll get new friends there...ones who won’t end up falling in love with the bullies who made me hate my childhood."

He smiled, but it was the saddest smile I’d ever seen..... all teeth, no warmth.

Then he slammed the door right in our faces.

The sound echoed through my chest.

June blinked, and widened her eyes. "Wow," she whispered. "Okay. Rude much."

I didn’t say anything.

I just stood there, staring at the closed door, feeling that stupid, familiar sting behind my eyes.

I shoved my hands in my pockets, forcing a laugh that didn’t sound right.

"He really hates us, huh?"

"Yeah, he definitely does."

Am I a bad friend for falling for Dominic?

I knew all the awful things he and his friends did to Marcus, and I still fell anyway. I told myself it was different now, that he’d changed....but how do I explain that to Marcus?

"Am I a bad friend?" I said. "For falling for Dominic?"

June turned to look at me.

"I knew all the mean shit he and his friends did to Marcus," I went on. "I knew. And I still..." My voice caught. "I...."

June frowned. "You’re not a bad friend, Ash."

I rubbed my face, exhausted.

"But they’re not that bad," I whispered. "They’re... actually not. I hate that I know that."

Then June tapped my shoulder. "Hey," she said softly.

"Look at this."

She turned her phone toward me....a video was playing. Dominic and Alia at the mall, both in matching sunglasses, her tiny hands full of shopping bags, him laughing as she shoved a candy in his mouth.

I didn’t even realize I smiled until my throat tightened.

"They’re trending," June said, grinning weakly. "People are obsessed. Alia looks adorable. Like unreal levels of cute." She smiled at me. "How could you possibly hate someone like that?"

I swallowed hard. "I don’t."

"I know," she said. "And he loves you so much that he loves her too. That’s real, Ash."

The ache in my chest felt softer.

"Let’s hope he’ll come around," June said after a long silence.

She said it like a wish more than a belief.

I looked at the door one last time, hoping he’d really come around.