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CHAPTER 21 | Dog

OMFG, 500 reads! Thank you so much to those lovely people who read, voted, commented and added my story to their reading lists. I appreciate it and it really inspires me!!

"So how did you get back home yesterday, Zack?" My aunt asked while she drove us to school.

Today was a wet and cold day, since it had rained the entire afternoon and the entire night. It was enjoyable, yeah, but only while I was in the comfiness and warmness of my bed, the rain sounding like a lullaby that never failed to make me fall asleep. But when I had to wake up, it was a total torture. I mean, cold in the afternoons is nice, but in the mornings it's so horrible, even more when you have to wake up early.

"Uuhhh... I took the bus." I lied.

"You stuttered." Amber said from the front seat.

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did. That uuhhh sounded very suspicious." That Amber. Always getting me into trouble.

"Zack, you better not be lying. Don't tell me you went walking, because yesterday it rained like hell." My aunt warned.

"No, I didn't go walking."

"Then?"

I sighed, scratching the back of my neck. "Ok, the truth is... Mark offered to take me in his car."

"What?!" Amber exclaimed, turning in her seat to look at me. "How did that happen?"

"Who is Mark?" My aunt asked.

I rolled my eyes. I don't like it when people ask me two questions consecutively, especially these questions about my school crush. "Mark is the guy I talked to you about the other day, aunt."

"Ooh, the one that you like?"

Amber giggled and I just looked down as I felt myself blushing. "Yes, that one."

"But how did it happen? Mark only lets his friends in his car. I mean, long life friends, like the fools he's with right now." Amber asked again.

"Well, when I told you I'd take a walk around the school, I found him sitting alone on the bleachers. We talked for a while and when we were leaving, he offered to take me home in his car because it was going to rain soon." I resumed the story.

"He offered you?" Amber asked, needing confirmation and getting ready to squeal out loud.

"Yes, he offered me and I accepted."

"Aaaawwww!" Both my aunt and Amber awed together.

I blushed again. What's with girls these days? Even my aunt is getting corrupted by Amber's crazy ways of fangirling!

"He's a very nice boy for doing that. I'd like to meet him. You should invite him home someday, Zack." My aunt suggested, as if Mark and I were already a dating couple. Which sadly we weren't.

"Yeah, because Mark obviously likes hanging around with me." I replied sarcastically.

"Oh come on, Zack, I know he does. If not, he wouldn't have talked to you yesterday, as you say. And he offered to take you in his car because he clearly wanted to spend more time with you. He likes you! As a friend, at least." Amber chuckled.

I considered her for a moment. "Do you think so?"

"I don't think. I know."

Does Mark really like being with me? As friends? I know he has said that we all are pals now but... I'm not convinced yet. What he did yesterday was only a generous gesture that he would give to anyone, right?

Then again, why do I keep finding excuses? He is your friend, Zack, for God's sake. It's just that having Mark as a friend is such a privilege to me. I never thought I could be friends with him, and accepting that is quite unbelievable.

My aunt parked the car in front of the school once we were there. Amber thanked her before getting out of the car.

"So, Zack." My aunt called from the window when I was out. "Do you want me to pick you up or is that boy taking you home again?"

"No, you can pick me up this time." I replied without a doubt. I wouldn't like to abuse of Mark's generosity by making him take me to my house every day. Besides, maybe today he has plans with his friends and I won't even find him on the bleachers again.

"Ok then, I'll be here at two. Take care."

Amber and I waved at her before she drove off. We turned to make our way inside the school building. There was a lower amount of people out here today, probably because of the cold and of how wet the grass was.

Vincent and Jaida were waiting for us at the entrance. We entered together to be welcomed by the warm inside of the school, and by the large crowd that was gathered here. Yes, the cold definitely made everyone stay inside more than outside. Some people were even wearing gloves, scarves and beanies.

"Yesterday I slept like a baby." Vincent commented with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Why? You peed on your bed?" Amber joked. Jaida and I laughed at that.

"No." Vincent deadpanned before going back to smiling again. "I mean that I was so comfy on my bed, after taking a good shower, snuggled up against my warm sheets, and listening to the heavy rain hitting my windows and my roof. Uh! It's one of the best feelings in the world."

"And it feels even better if you have someone who to share that moment with." Amber replied sadly. "I slept the entire night hugging my teddy bear."

I snorted. "Do you still hug a teddy bear?"

"Yes, I admit! I sleep with my teddy bear, so what?!" Amber shouted, earnings glances from the students around us, some of them chuckling a little.

"Okay, okay..." I said cautiously.

"I don't really like rain." Jaida commented.

"What? Why?" Vincent asked in disbelief.

"It makes me sad. I don't know, I just don't like it." She shrugged. "I didn't sleep well yesterday because of it."

Vincent scratched the back of his head. "Um, well... To be honest, I actually don't like rain that much, either."

I rolled my eyes at him. The boy is so in love with her that he's willing to change his likings.

"Oh really? Just because Jai doesn't like it?" Amber pushed.

They argued and Vincent tried to find as many excuses as he could to convince himself that he didn't like rain that much. In the meantime, my eyes were roaming around the crowd, looking for a specific someone.

I eventually found them all leaning on their respective row of lockers. Rupert was telling something to Mark, probably something stupid by the way Mark's face looked uninterested and bored. He was picking on his nails with his foot resting on the lockers behind him, the sleeves of his jacket were slightly folded up so part of his tattoo was visible on his beautiful wrist.
Scarlet and Herman were discussing about something and Skylar was typing on her phone.

As we got closer to them, my stomach fluttered with excitement just at the sight of him. I knew we would have to walk in front of him and I just couldn't pass by as if he was a stranger. Friends greet each other when they see each other, so maybe I should say Hi, or wave at him, or just give him a smile. But my friends and his friends would see that weird, and I don't know if Mark would return the greeting and I would make a fool of myself. Maybe if I hide among my friends and act as if I didn't see him. Ugh, I hate having these mental battles for such a simple thing!

We were now in front of them, their voices getting louder and I still battling about what I should do. I raised my head and turned to look at him, taking a deep breath.

"Hey guys, wait." Mark called us, much to my relief.

We stopped abruptly and turned to look at the group. They all had stopped talking to look at us as well. Skylar simply moved up her eyes at us and then she went back to her phone. We just waited for him to speak, Vincent and Amber looking confused as to why he had called us.

"Uh..." He trailed. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, nowhere that special, we simply thought it would be the right thing if we went to our respective classes. This is a school after all, so yeah." Amber replied sarcastically.

Mark chuckled. "But classes haven't started yet. Come on, stay with us for a little while. We don't bite."

"Why? We're not part of your crew." Vincent pointed out.

"The nerd is right, Mark. Just let them go." Herman said boringly.

Vincent's eyes narrowed at him. "Listen here you-"

"Hey, hey." Mark held up his hand to calm down the triggered Vincent. "We're trying to be nice, so let's not get into trouble, shall we?"

"Whatever. Just stop calling me a nerd. Because you have no idea what this nerd is able to do." He warned, glaring at them, actually sounding a bit intimidating.

Scarlet and Herman laughed mockingly, shaking their heads.

"Um, yeah. By the way, I don't think I've ever caught your name?" Mark asked him.

Vincent scoffed. "Why do I tell you? You're going to forget it anyway."

Well, I guess he has a point. Rupert laughed at that and Mark just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"That's right. Mark always forgets everything." Rupert said, still laughing. "Let me tell you that one day, when I went to sleep over at his place, we were getting-"

"Wait, why were you sleeping at Mark's place?" Herman asked suspiciously.

Rupert rolled his eyes. "I used to go to Mark's place a lot to sleep over, ok? Besides, it's not like we slept on the same bed. He has two. Right, Mark?" He asked him and Mark nodded.

Herman made an O with his mouth in realization. "Ok. Continue."

"Well, as I was saying, Mark and I were getting ready to go school the next day. BUT, dumbass Marky here wasn't ready yet because he was running all over his bedroom looking for his socks. He was like Dude, I can't find my socks! I don't know where I left them! He looked under his bed, he threw his bed sheets, he rummaged through the sick mess that is his bedroom without any success."

Rupert was starting to laugh as he told the story. Mark just turned his head to the side, looking annoyed. I actually chuckled at what Rupert was describing. I imagined Mark running barefoot around his bedroom because he lost his socks. It was a kinda cute sight even though it was in my mind.

"It was getting late so I told him Dude, just put on another pair! And he said But that's the only clean pair I got! And he's right, because he has a load of dirty clothes that he never washes, and finding a new pair among that disaster would take years."

"Why didn't you just don't wear socks at all?" Skylar asked Mark.

He turned his head to her. "Do you have any idea of how uncomfortable that is?"

"No. I don't see what's the problem." She shrugged.

"Well, I do." He replied and turned to the side again.

"Anyway, it was getting really late and Mark was still running around like a headless chicken, and then he had no option but put on a dirty pair." Rupert finished.

Everybody ewed at him, scrunching up their noses in disgust while Mark's cheeks turned pink in embarrassment. I simply smiled lightly at how cute he looked.

"Damn. So that's why his feet stank so much." Amber commented.

"Amber!" Mark scolded, glaring at her.

"It's true. When we used to watch Netflix, we would take off our shoes, and I always thought the smell came from my feet, but it actually were his."

Mark ran a hand down his face, either in frustration or because he was trying to hide his blush, or both.

"Ugh, who cares? Stinky feet or not, he's still my boyfriend. Right, my love?" Scarlet said as she walked to stand at his side.

"Scarlet, shut up." He snapped.

Scarlet flinched slightly and looked down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Rupert laughed, throwing an arm around Mark's shoulder. "Come on, Marky, don't be pissed. You know I love you, man. No homo, though."

At that, some of them casted him a weird glance, even Mark. But Rupert didn't take back what he said, he just had that goofy smile plastered on his face.

"That's not all, though." Herman spoke. "Last Thursday, we were waiting for Mark at the back of the school to go for pizza. And when I called him because he wasn't arriving, it turns out that he forgot it and was already at his house. Seriously, dude, do you have Alzheimer's or something?"

"I don't have Alzheimer's, you idiot." Mark said annoyingly, glaring at him.

"Whatever, but you should really get that checked."

The bell rang and it was time for everyone to go to their classes.

"Well, I think we should be going. That was a kind of good story, Rupert." Amber said.

Rupert chuckled. "Yeah. It's a shame that you won't get to hear other of my stories, though."

"No, I think it's actually a blessing that they won't get to hear them." Skylar corrected.

"Hey, they aren't that bad." He pouted lightly.

"Why don't we all become friends?" I blurted out.

Everybody turned their heads towards me, giving weird or 'are you serious' looks. I shifted uncomfortably in my spot, wanting to shrink and disappear. Great, Zack, just great. That's the best idea that has ever gotten into your dumb head. They're not nice people, except for Mark, and maybe Rupert and Skylar. But even so I don't think my friends would be pleased to hang out with them. Like, what the hell is wrong with me? This is what I get for speaking without thinking beforehand.

"Um, Zack-" Vincent started, but he was cut off by Rupert who was the only one who seemed pleased by the idea.

"That would be cool! Amber will return with us with a few new members, like in old times! Our circle would be bigger, we would-"

"Ok ok, Rupert, hold on, I think you're going too far." Scarlet interjected, laughing bitterly. "I mean, WE, popular people, with THEM, not popular people? I don't think so." She drawled, moving her arms around in an exaggerated manner.

"The bitch is right." Amber nodded. "I wouldn't like to be seen with the school's biggest slut again."

Scarlet narrowed her eyes at her. "And I wouldn't like to be seen with-"

"Scarlet, shut your mouth." Mark hushed her.

"But she-"

"Just shut up! You're so irritating." He snapped again. Finally, someone says it. Thank you, Marky.

"Ok, my love. I'm sorry." She looked down guiltily but clung to his arm anyway, making Mark's eyes roll.

It was Amber's turn to laugh bitterly. "That's what I thought. Anyway, see you later, guys. Or not." She waved and walked forward, us following behind her.

"By the way, my name is Vincent." He told Mark before leaving.

"Vincent van Gogh?" Mark joked.

"Hah. If that makes you remember it, then fine, you pinhead."

"I guess we're never going to get along?"

"Wow, finally you guess something right."

I chuckled and turned to look at Mark over my shoulder. He was semi-glaring at Vincent's back. But then his glare was replaced by a soft look and a small smile that curved on his lips once his grey eyes met mine. I returned the smile, blushing a bit just by seeing that smile. He then turned around to catch up to his friends who had already started to walk away.

================

"Um, guys." I finally called before we could get to the school's exit. They stopped and looked at me. "Uh, I think I have to go to the restrooms, and... I might take long, so-"

"Oh please, Zack. Just say you want to go see Mark." Amber said with a small smirk.

I was about to lie, but my blushing face betrayed me. "H-How do you know?"

"Well, your head almost made a 360 degree turn when we passed by the soccer field and you saw Mark sitting on the bleachers, and you looked at him until you couldn't turn your neck anymore." She explained. She's very observant. I should be more discrete with my obsession towards Mark too.

"Ok, it's true... It's just- It's not like I don't like being with you guys, I really-"

"Hey Zack, for us it's ok." Vincent said softly. "If you want to go with him then go. I get that times like these are the only ones where you can talk to him."

"Yeah." I agreed. "Um, thank you."

"No need to thank us. Go and have fun with your crush." Amber smirked and I rolled my eyes. "I'll tell your aunt that you stayed, then."

"Ok, cool. Then, see you tomorrow."

They waved at me before turning to walk to the exit. Jaida gave me a smile and winked at me. I just returned a shy smile before she turned to leave too. She's so beautiful. I don't regret having kissed her that night of the party.

I turned to walk the opposite direction and to the soccer field. I hope Mark is still there.

Indeed, there he was, browsing through something on his phone like yesterday. As I got closer and the sound of my shoes against the gravel was getting louder, he turned to look at me and gave me a small smile.

"Hi." I greeted, climbing on the bleachers.

"Hey. How are you?"

"I'm good, and you?" I asked as I sat beside him, more confidently this time. The soccer players were there, as always, kicking the ball a little more roughly this time.

"Me too."

"Nice... So, today your friends didn't have plans for the day either?"

"Actually they did, but they were just going to the park and do nothing. I know it because I've gone to the park with them a lot."

"Oh, I see." He didn't do anything here either, but I decided not to say that.

I've been researching about the different types of personalities. I found out there are three types: extrovert, introvert and ambivert. I obviously am an introvert, and at first you would think Mark is an extrovert, but I've noticed that that's not always the case. Sometimes he can be extremely talkative with his friends, and others he can be very quiet like a lake. Sometimes he is extremely outgoing and others he likes being around calm places and have time for himself too. So maybe there could be a possibility that Mark is an ambivert, meaning he has qualities of an extrovert and an introvert at the same time. Mhmm... Interesting.

We started talking about how went our classes, and then Mark talked about his friends, especially Rupert and how much of an idiot he is for telling so many embarrassing stories about him. So that's not the only one he has told.

He told me that he and Rupert have been friends since they were thirteen. That is, they've been friends for 5 years, because Mark is 18. It was surprising how long their friendship has lasted. He says that Rupert is his best friend of his group. I hope he can consider me his best friend one day too, and that our friendship lasts as long as theirs.

"What about yours?" Mark asked me, referring to my friends.

"Well, I've only known them for over a month or so." I chuckled.

"You have never had other friends?"

Once again, Russell came to my mind. I remembered how he had humiliated me after I told him I was bisexual. I don't know how I could consider him my friend.

"Yeah. But he was an idiot."

"An idiot?" Mark asked with a tone of slight amusement, probably because he's not used to hear the minimalist swear word come out of my mouth. "Why?"

I avoided the topic of my bisexuality and told him a fake story about us fighting over how he didn't want to give me the answers for an exam. God, being with this guy means to lie a lot. And it's hard, because sometimes I run out of ideas and I don't know what lie to say. I must be grateful that Mark believes almost everything you tell him.

"Only for that?" He asked.

"Yeah, I know it's stupid but that's how it happened." I shrugged.

"Geez." He chuckled and shook his head. "And I thought you were the typical nerd who is always good at exams and those things."

"Heh, no I'm not." I

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