Free Everything You Want by Macyn Like

arm.  I opened the bedroom door as carefully as I could manage and
slipped in, mindful of my sleeping nephew.  Once I was in, I walked over
to the dresser and braced myself against it, taking deep breaths.  I
lifted my eyes to the mirror and took a hard look. 
    I didn’t hide the scar because it was
ugly.  I didn’t care about that.  I hid it because of what they
represented.  A part of me that I wasn’t ready for Marissa, or anyone, to
see.
    I shook my head and quietly got dressed
in a pair of old jeans and a soft thermal long-sleeved shirt.  I couldn’t
hide out in here all night.  It would make it that much worse, if I acted embarrassed. 
The truth was, I was horribly embarrassed, but Marissa didn’t need to know
that.  I stepped out into the living room.  She was facing my sister
and laughing and she was beautiful.  I knew before I took another step
that if I was ever going to show myself to anyone again it would be her. 
But not now.  Not tonight.  I tugged at the sleeve on my left arm
just to assure myself it was there.
    I smiled like nothing was wrong and sat
down next to Marissa.  “So, you’ve met my sister,” I said. 
    “Yes.  She was just apologizing for detaining
you during yesterday.  I told her it was no big deal.”
    It was a big deal to me.  I had
wanted to spend time with her.  But I couldn’t bail on my twin.  She
needed me, and she’d certainly been there for me when I needed her.
    “Can I get you something?” I asked
her.  “We haven’t eaten yet.  We were waiting for the little guy to
go down.”  
    “No, I just ate.  I thought I heard
a baby last night.  He’s yours?” she asked my sister.
    “Yes.  His name is Skylar. 
You’ll have to meet him when he’s awake.”
    “I’d like that.”
    “Speaking of Sky, I’m going to go check
on him.”  Kiera stood up.  Surely it was my imagination, but I
thought I saw her wink at Marissa before she left the room.
    My stomach churned.  She’d said
something, hadn’t she?  Would she?  Yes.  She didn’t even know
Marissa, but it would be like her.  I knew her heart was in the right place,
but I’d told her before that I didn’t need her help.  I’d work out my
issues in my own time.  At the moment, I wasn’t even sure I wanted them
worked out.  I was sure I didn’t want to drag Marissa into it.  Yes,
I wanted her, so bad.  It was hard not to reach across the small distance
between us and brush my hand down her smooth arm.  But she deserved better
than me, better than what I had to give.  It was good that Kiera had
called me when she did, and interrupted our date, because I’d started to
forget.
    “Sorry,” I said after I realized I was
staring at her.  “I should’ve explained myself better before I ditched you
yesterday.  I was in a hurry.  She’d just called me and I was really
angry with my brother-in-law, and really worried about her, and my nephew.”
    “You didn’t ditch me.  Kiera already
explained.  I understand.”
    “I still feel bad about it, though.”
    She reached over and touched my shoulder,
a smile lighting her eyes.  A spark shot down all the way down my arm to
my fingers.  “Don’t.  It wasn’t your fault.”
    She let her arm fall, brushing the length
of my arm as it fell, sending a chill down my spine.  Words escaped me, so
I jumped off the couch and went to the kitchen.  If she touched me like
that again, I didn’t think I’d be able to convince myself that I didn’t need to
touch her back.
    “Are you sure you don’t want
something?  I was about to fry some hamburgers,” I said, looking over my
shoulder.
    “Yes, I’m stuffed.”  Marissa glanced
at the stove and then looked back at me, skeptically.  “You can cook?” she
asked.
    “Not really.  Just simple
stuff.  Hamburgers, eggs, grilled cheese.”
    She laughed.  “Sounds good to me.”
    Kiera walked back in. 
    “How is he?” I asked, pulling the skillet
out of the cabinet beside