It's five thirty in the morning and I can't sleep, I'm lying down in my bed, under the covers, staring at the ceiling with a weird sensation running through my body, like electricity.

Maybe it's just anxiety.

I found myself constantly repeating the kisses Mark and I shared and something inside me made me feel guilty, as if I had cheated on Albert who clearly isn't my boyfriend anymore which is just stupid.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it, the idea of his hands on my waist and his teeth biting my lips made me all fuzzy, it just took a bit more of analysis for it to be enough and turning the memory into something bad that made me feel guilty.

I turned to my side and reached out to take my phone, wanting to scroll down on TikTok, rot my brain for a bit watching thirst traps and celebrity edits, hoping it'd be enough to make me sleepy.

However the notifications of the missing text messages I had from my friends distracted me, I took a look.

First Maia.

3:50 am.

Maia: Yn where are you

Maia: Did you leave??

Then Denis.

3:54 am

Denis: WHERE ARE YOU

Denis: You're missing a fight

Denis: Yn they're fighting

Denis: THEY'RE FIGTHING, YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS

4:14 am

Denis: Hello

Denis: I've looked everywhere for you

Denis: Maia is still here I thought you were gonna leave with her??

Then Mark...

Mark: Did your dad kill you

Mark: ???

I chuckled and replied.

Yn: Yes this is her dad

Yn: She ded fr

Mark: Very funny

Mark: Why are you still awake?

Yn: Can't sleep

Mark: Thinking of me? ;)

Yn: Maybe

Yn: Maybe It's just insomnia

Yn: Maybe the fact that the police was just at my house

Yn: Maybe I'm anxious

Mark: Nah

Mark: It's because you're thinking about me

Yn: Most likely yeah

Mark: Get some rest

Mark: Turn off the phone

Yn: Okay sure

Yn: Goodnight

Mark: Bye <3

I sighed and rolled my eyes, I noticed I had more missing text messages.

From Albert.

3:50

Albert: Yn

Albert: Are you still here?

Albert: I wanted to talk about something

4:01

Albert: Never mind

Albert: Just saw you leaving with Mark

Albert: Have fun

I panicked.

Yn: Hello?

Albert: Hey

Yn: You're awake

Albert: I'm still at the party

Albert: It's a lot of fun

Yn: Yeah?

Albert: Yeah

Albert: Why'd you leave?

Yn: My dad wanted me back home

Albert: And you left with Mark?

Yn: Yes?

Yn: He was sober, he drove me home

Albert: Cool

Yn: What did you want to talk about?

Albert: Nothing

Yn: Albert

Yn: Answer my question

He took a moment to reply.

Albert: Next time you leave a party without telling anyone at least let your friends know you're safe

Albert: Y'know

Albert: Maia was worried

Yn: ??

Yn: Albert

Yn: Answer my question

Yn: What did you want to talk about?

Yn: ????

Yn: hello?

He left my messages as received, I frowned with frustration and confusion about what Albert wanted, why he didn't want to tell me, and the bad luck that he saw me getting into Mark's car.

I sent a message to Maia and Denis telling them that I arrived safely at my house and not to worry about me before closing my eyes and fading into sleep.

***

The next morning my dad didn't talk to me, it's not that he was ignoring me, he just didn't greet me or offer me the glass of juice that he always served me every morning, so I just made my own breakfast (a piece of toast) and I went back to bed, I was too tired from last night so I slept a couple more hours, until my phone started ringing and woke me up.

Without checking the called id I answered the call with a yawn.

Yn: Hello?

Denis: Hello! Good morning sleeping beauty!

Yn: Hey, what's up?

I yawned, his tone of voice very energetic, it was contagious.

Denis: I'll tell you what's up, we have a test on Wednesday!

I groaned.

Yn: So?

Denis: So stop whatever you're doing and take out your textbooks and let's study!

Yn: Denis I literally just woke up, and how are you not tired from yesterday?

Denis: Why? Why?! I'll tell you why, I was enjoying myself in the party and suddenly I felt guilty once I realized I had to study

Yn: Okay?

Denis: I went back home, had seven energy drinks and started studying at six am, I haven't stopped since

I looked at the clock

It was literally 12:32 pm

Yn: ...So you're overdosed in energy drinks?

Denis: Yes, Yn I'm freaking shaking but I'll do whatever it takes to ace that test, so get out of bed and videocall me!

I chuckled.

Yn: Will you give me a minute? I'm still in my pajamas

Denis: Yn HURRY!

Yn: Okay! Okay! Geez!

***

Denis: Why is your graph upside down?

I skipped lunch because Ava showed up , her and my dad were in the backyard doing a barbecue, I decided to skip the awkward interaction and instead ate a cereal bar, I had already been studying with Denis for about two hours, it was impossible, not because he distracted me or something else, but because we simply did not understand the material that the teacher gave us and much less the exercises that we copied from his whiteboard, on the screen of my phone Denis showed me his organized and clean notes, in contrast to mine full of scratches and drawings, the truth is that I had already given up, I just wanted to go back to bed and sleep but Denis, who was shaking from all the caffeine in his body, wouldn't let me leave and insisted on studying with me.

It was funny and also exasperating.

Yn: It's a box plot Denis, it's not upside down!

Denis: Why'd you draw it like that?!

Yn: Like what?!

Denis: UPSIDE DOWN!

Yn: IT'S NOT UPSIDE DOWN!

Denis: Yes it is! Look at the upper quartile!

Yn: What about it?!

Denis: It's where the lower quartile is supposed to be!

I looked at the drawing of my graph and tilted my head.

Yn: Wait-

Denis: Told you!

Yn: I'm confused, where's the dispersion supposed to be?

Denis: Near the maximum, a hundred and fifty

Yn: I thought a hundred and fifty was the minimum!

Denis: No it's not-... is it?

I chuckled.

Yn: I'm not wrong!

Denis: Okay hold on...

He checked the textbook.

Yn: ...?

Denis: Okay yeah maybe you're right but the quartiles are still wrong!

Yn: But-!

Denis: And just a warning, Mr. Kane prefers the graphs horizontally

I frowned.

Yn: Why?! This is how I draw them! It's how I learned in school!

Denis: Yes but he's capable of failing you just because you drew them vertically

Yn: It's a BOX PLOT GRAPH! Who draws them horizontally?!

Denis: Mr. Kane does!

I was frustrated.

Yn: ...Did you know that technically, if the institution burns down on the day of the test he is legally obliged to let all the present students pass?

Denis: Yn, pyromania is not the solutions to our academic problems, just do the graph again

Yn: It's the fifth time Denis! I am-

I was interrupted by an incoming call from Jack, I smiled widely, I had missed him dearly.

Denis: Hello?

Yn: Hey! Uh, a friend is calling me can you give me a minute?

Denis: Yn!

Yn: I promise I'll be back soon!

Denis: Hurry!

I hung up the videocall with Denis and answered Jack's call.

Jack: Hello?

Yn: Hello highlighter! How are you?

Jack: ...You sound happy

His tone of voice serious, I frowned.

Yn: ...I'm just glad you called, I've missed you, what's wrong?

Jack: Uh...

Yn: ...

Jack: Nothing, how have you been? How's school?

Yn: Uhm, funny that you mention it, I was just studying for a test next week, I'm losing my head

Jack: Same! I have to turn in four essays next week

Yn: What?!

Jack: It's what I get for studying journalism

I chuckled.

Yn: Yeah you asked for it

Jack: Don't get me wrong though, I enjoy writing essays, I a hundred percent prefer that rather than math class...

Yn: Yeah, so you're happy with you career choices?

Jack: Yeah, it's cool, the classes are very fun

I smiled, frustrated that all my friends were enjoying their classes except for me.

Yn: I'm glad to hear that Jack

Jack: What about you? Too many numbers?

I chuckled.

Yn: Oh I wish, you'd be surprised to see my classes have everything except numbers...

Jack: Really?

Yn: Yes! It's all just graphs and writing... I can't remember the last time I did a proper math problem

He laughed.

Jack: Oh that sucks!

Yn: Yeah it kinda does...

Jack: Surely because it's the first semester right?

Yn: ...Yeah, no, definitely, it'll get better

Hopefully.

Jack: ...Let's hope, uhm... Yn?

Yn: Yeah?

Jack: I wanted to talk to you about something

Yn: Yes?

Jack: ...I just- I don't know what to think about it

Yn: About what?

Jack: ...Mark called me this morning

My stomach dropped.

Yn: ...Yeah?

Jack: ...You two uhm...

Yn: ...?!

Jack: Kissed?

Yn: HUH?!

Jack: With tongue?!

Yn: JACK!?

He laughed.

Jack: I'm sorry I should've known he was lying, I just don't understand why he'd make up something like that...

Yn: ...

Jack: It's a lie, right?

Yn: ...-

Jack: Yn?

Yn: ...

Jack: YN?!

Yn: I WAS WEAK JACK!

He gasped

Jack: NO YOU DID NOT?!

Yn: YES I DID!

Jack: HOW COULD YOU?!

Yn: I-

Jack: OUT OF ALL PEOPLE?! MARK?!

Yn: I know! I messed up!

Jack: Mess up!? Is that all you have to say about yourself Yn?! You kissed Mark!

Yn: I let my guard down! I was weak! I couldn't help it!

Jack: Are we talking about the same dude?! Mark?! The fricking alcoholic?!

I sighed.

Yn: I just- I got caught up in the moment!

Jack: Yes I get that but how does that lead you to kiss Mark?!

I facepalmed myself, he sighed.

Yn: I know! It was- It was a mistake!

Jack: Yn I just-... I can't believe it

Yn: ...He called to tell you?!

Jack: Yes! He was on cloud nine! So happy and euphoric it was nauseating I was so confused! He gave me DETAILS YN

Yn: Well f*ck...

Jack: Yn!

Yn: I'm sorry! I just- I don't want him to go around telling everyone!

Jack: ...Listen I'm not here to judge you, but this is a big deal, you have to talk to him, let him know it was not that serious or...

Yn: Or?

Jack: I- I don't know if you'd mind it if it got to Albert's ears

Yn: Crap! You're right!

Jack: Yn just... You clearly didn't do it because you like Mark, right?

Yn: ...Uhm, no, obviously not...

Or so I wanted to believe.

He sighed.

Jack: Then sort things out sis! What you doing?!

I laughed, right as I was about to answer I heard the doorbell ringing.

Yn: I will! Just-... I'll talk to him

I stepped towards my window and looked down only to find the problem itself standing at the door with a backpack on his shoulder.

Jack: I'm also mad that you didn't call me to tell me- I get that I'm miles away from you but we're still friends! Best friends and-

Yn: Jack you're not going to believe this

My dad opened the door and greeted Mark.

Jack: Huh?!

Yn: Mark's here!

Jack: What?!

Yn: On the front door!

Jack: Why?!

My dad talked with him for a few minutes before letting him inside.

Yn: I gotta go!

Jack: Wait!-

I hung up the call and panicked, I knew it was a matter of seconds before he knocked on my door and as a reflex I started fixing my hair.

Knock knock

Yn: Come in!

My dad opened the door.

Dad: You have a visit

I tilted my head, Mark walked in with a smile.

Yn: Hey! What are you doing here?

Mark: Oh to study, remember?

He said winking one eye, my dad looked at me waiting for my answer.

Yn: Oh yeah! Totally, dad, Mark is really good with numbers, he's here to help me...

My dad squinted his eyes.

Dad: No closed doors

He then walked out, clearly not interested, leaving me alone with Mark, I sighed.

Yn: "To study"? Really?

He chuckled, putting his backpack down on the floor.

Mark: What did you want me to say, doll? "Hello sir, I'm here to install a latch on your daughter's door so she can have some privacy from your annoying and mean girlfriend"

He kneeled down next to the backpack, I smiled and tilted my head

Yn: That's why you're here?

He nodded, taking out screws, the latch and a black power screwdriver, he stood up and headed to my door, closing it slowly so that it wouldn't make a sound, once closed he looked at me.

Mark: Come here

I stepped closer.

Yn: Hm?

Mark: Hold this here

Yn: Here?

I followed his instructions, he nodded, helping him install the whole thing, the sight of Mark so focused on screwing in the screws made me warm up inside, maybe because he was doing something nice for me or maybe because he looked quite handsome. To me it was also funny imagining the sound of the screwdriver resonating through my house and my dad confused as to what was going on in my room.

However, he didn't notice a thing, and the latch was installed in less than five minutes.

Mark: Piece of cake

Yn: Huh, I thought it would take more than that

He chuckled

Mark: Try it

I moved the latch and tried to open the door which I couldn't, the small metal piece blocked it from opening, I smiled.

Yn: That's great!

I turned to him, he smiled.

Mark: As long as you're in your room, no one can come in and bother you

Yn: Mark thank you so much, this is such a relief

He smiled.

Mark: That'd be fifty dollars miss

I laughed softly.

Yn: I don't have that much money but I think I have some spare change...

He chuckled, grabbing my hands and pulling me closer.

Mark: I don't want your money

I looked up at him and frowned.

Yn: Well I'm not going to kiss you

Mark: And why not?

Yn: I don't know... something tells me you're just going to go around telling everyone

He laughed.

Mark: Jack called to interrogate you?

I opened my eyes in shock and nodded.

Yn: Yes! Why'd you tell him?

He shrugged.

Mark: I wanted to tell my friend-

Yn: Who else knows?

Mark: Just him, I wanted to tell Jake but he would've definitely tell Maia and Maia would've murdered me in my sleep before telling everyone else

Yn: ...Hm

Mark: I'm sorry, just know my intentions are to keep what happens between us.... Between us

Yn: Then do so, Mark

He shook his head.

Mark: I will, I promise, don't get mad at me doll

Yn: I'm not mad...

Mark: Then kiss me?

I laughed and he leaned down to place a tender, short, kiss on my lips, enough for my heart to flutter.

I felt guilty once again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

No fr I also kissed a friend once and he was convinced we were dating.

Anyway! Thanks for reading have a nice weekend <3

AdaraWhite