Thanks for accepting my invitation.
Your call surprised me, but it made me happy to hear from you. So, Marc, what do I owe this walk in the park to?
I wanted us to talk a bit, calmly, without blowing up, so I thought being outside on a nice day would be cooler.
Yeah, you're right, let's make an effort.
An effort? Wow, you're already coming at me and I haven't even started talking yet. This is gonna be great…
Sorry, no—I was clumsy, forgive me. I didn't mean it was an effort to be here, I meant that we could both make an effort to calm our relationship down… okay, talk, because otherwise I'm just digging myself deeper. Please, help me…
Yeah, these past few weeks have been pretty rough between us, that's true. That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about.
Okay, go ahead.
It's not very easy, I don't really know where to start.
Like my mom would say, keep it simple!
Yeah, if only it were simple… Alright… I was really hurt when you tore into me after the fight without letting me explain myself.
Marc, listen…
Let me finish, please. I'm not here to make things worse, I'm trying to explain.
Okay, sorry—go on.
It hurt because you didn't let me explain. You took your boyfriend's version and that was it, even though you know I'm not the kind of guy who picks fights and jumps the first person he doesn't like.
Yeah, that's true, you're completely right—and I felt really bad about it afterward.
I get that he's your boyfriend, that you love him, and that what I did was wrong. I sincerely regret it, especially since because of that, I lost you. But what really hurt afterward was seeing that you didn't even want to listen to me.
I'm sorry.
Cathy, I know I've been a pain these past few months, I've been getting on your nerves about stupid stuff, and that's why I wanted to talk to you today.
…
When you started going out with Stephane, I told myself it would be like with the others, like for me or Peter—just a few weeks, maybe a few months, and then boom, on to the next. So whether I liked the guy or not didn't really change anything in my daily life, he'd be gone soon enough anyway.
But that's not how it went this time.
No! The weeks went by, that guy took up more and more space in your life, and it really made me see things differently.
But you were with Elena then, so what was the problem? Why did you break up with her in the end? We never really talked about it, actually.
No, I always avoided the subject… I didn't break up with her.
Oh, really? So she dumped you? I'm sorry—but why?
… Because of you, actually…
Because of me???? What… how is that even possible? Aren't you going a bit far blaming me for that?
It's not me saying it, it's her. Do you remember our birthday last year?
Yeah, of course. I sprained my ankle—how could I forget?
She ended our relationship the next day.
What?! But what could've happened? I got along with her really well. Did I say something?
No, it wasn't your fault… well… not directly… She just told me… that she wished I looked at her the way I look at you.
What?
Cathy, please don't freak out. I didn't realize it myself. Elena saw it, Peter saw it, our moms saw it, even Stephane saw it — but not me… and apparently not you either.
But what are you talking about?
I fell in love with you, Cathy.
In love with me? No, come on, Marc, that's stupid… we're like brother and sister with Peter.
With Peter, yes. Me, I'm done playing the protective big brother. I'm done hiding behind that role. I told everyone that's what it was, but it's not true. I'm in love with you. I want to hold you in my arms, to be with you. You're in my head all the time, I think about you constantly, I'm jealous of Stephane, I miss you terribly these days. It was already hard not being able to touch you more than a kiss on the cheek or brushing your hand, but now not seeing you or hearing your voice at all… it's unbearable.
Marc… I don't know what to say. I'm sorry.
Then don't say anything. I just wanted you to hear it and to know why our relationship changed. I had to gather all my courage to talk to you today, it wasn't easy — my heart's been about to give out since this morning. I know I might lose you forever too, since I'm kind of breaking our friendship, but honestly, at the point we're at, I didn't have much left to lose.
No, you're not breaking our friendship, don't say that… I'm going to cry.
In any case, it will never be the same now that you know.
Yeah, that's true… but now I understand better everything we've been through. In the end, I'm the one who's making you suffer, not the other way around.
No, don't say that, that's ridiculous. Of course you're not responsible for my pain in any way. That's just life — my feelings shifted from friendship to love. Now, I'm not expecting you to feel the same, I know perfectly well that you're in love with Stephane. I just needed to be honest with you… and with myself.
Oh… things really changed these past few weeks. I think I'll need some time to process all this.
You didn't see it coming either, did you?
No, not at all. And you're saying everyone knows? Even Stephane?
Yeah… I should at least thank him for that — he was actually almost the first one to talk to me about it.
Yeah… it's always the people involved who find out last, huh…
That's exactly it…
And our moms know?
Yeah.
And that doesn't shock them?
Apparently not — actually, it was kind of a dream come true for them, you see…
Oh shit. And how do you see what happens next, then?
For the two of us?
Yeah. Do we have to avoid each other, or do you think we can keep seeing each other?
I don't know… let's just let things be for now. We'll see.