No Such Thing As True Love by A.M. Anderson

her eyes closed, and relaxed in his touch. For a moment or so, she thought Markus might have fallen asleep, but he spoke to her as she went to leave the bed.
                “Where are you headed?” he asked, sleepily and happily. She bent down and kissed him before saying that she was going to get them something to drink. She donned her robe after she refreshed herself in the bathroom, and returned with two glasses of ice water. She sat on the bed and handed one of them to Markus. He was looking at her adoringly, and a blush crossed her cheeks. Maritess reached out and rubbed him on the shoulder, comfortable with their silence. Markus seemed comfortable too, but it was only a short time before a jitteriness spurred him to talk.
                “I think I’m falling in love with you, Maritess,” he said. He knew that he would get nowhere with her if he fell into a mushy, emotional display of his newly felt affection. So, he stated his fact with seriousness, but he wore a smile on his face.
                Maritess shook her head at him. She put her glass down on the end table, and turned to face him. Markus rose to his elbow, but let the rest of himself stretch out. “Markus,” she said, “you’re hopeless.” Markus laughed at her, but stopped when he noticed that irritating look of pity she had on her face. “You’re hopeless,” she repeated, and stretched out alongside him.
                “No, I’m not. And I don’t think that you are, either. So, there,” he said. Maritess called his bluff. She couldn’t believe that he still thought love would be that easy. He was starting to agitate her. Even though she had truly enjoyed what they had just done, there was no way that she was going to let him think that she was hers just because he had been incredible in bed.
                “Markus,” she said in the same tone he used on her, “that’s impossible. Keep in mind, you pretty much hate me normally, and even did just a little while ago. Remember?” Markus shook his head in protest, but she continued without stopping. “Plus, even if you are suddenly falling for me, that still doesn’t make it true love. So, keep looking sweetheart, because…” she paused, checking the bitchiness in her voice, “because… I don’t feel anything for you. Please, don’t get me wrong, that was quite enjoyable, but I’m still not getting the butterflies, or hearing angels singing, or anything like that.”
                Again, Markus stared at her, stunned. Quickly, he shielded his heart from the insult, and let it roll off into amusement. “That’s okay,” he said, recovered, “love takes work, right? And after everything you’ve put me through at the gym, and with those three nut jobs you call friends, you’re not getting rid of me anytime soon.” He laid back, and brought her head down to his shoulder. Maritess relaxed into him, and inhaled his scent. He comforted her, but she still pitied his undying, immature ignorance about human behavior.
                “This does not mean that we are in love,” she said, fighting every urge her body felt to fall asleep.
                “Fine,” he answered. He pulled the blankets over them, and soon they were both dreaming their own dreams.
    …
     

CHAPTER 10
                When Maritess woke up, the first thing her eyes saw was Tike’s nose. She stretched and rolled over, reaching a hand out to Markus. When her hand landed on the bed, she turned to see that he was gone. She listened, but there was no sound of him anywhere else in the apartment. Maritess rose, confused, and a little jaded. She got up and put some clothes on so that she could walk Tike. She poured some food in his bowl while she downed a glass of water in the kitchen. Anger was beginning to replace the concern she initially felt when she noticed he was gone. He hadn’t even left a note. She looked at the front