chapter 4.3

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The whole drive back to the school was noticeably more awkward, at least to you. You tensed at every word he said and felt your heart clench when he hummed along to the soft radio tune. Saying nothing or giving short, one word replies, you didn't trust your voice to say more. Instead, you opted to look out the window at the passing scenery for the fear of Mark noticing your flushed expression. You tug uncomfortably at your jacket collar, beginning to regret asking him to skate tonight. Ironically, and perhaps foolishly of you, you've received his confession yet you're unwilling to admit the good news of mutual feelings to yourself. What should you do or say? Surely it's not right to just say 'I like you! I figured it out haha let's date!" out of the blue.

Pulling into the sports center parking lot, you notice the locks on the front door.

"Oh crap, I forgot it's a weekday. The rink is closed after 11," you mutter, slightly relieved at the thought of heading home to sort out your feelings alone.

"Don't worry, we can sneak in through the side door," Mark answers nonchalantly, getting out to open the car door for you. You don't disregard the kind gesture and instead feel the familiar pressure in your chest again.

And sneak in you did.

Mark had clearly done this a few times judging based on the way he led you confidently to the obscured side door which was propped slightly open with a rock.

You went your separate ways in the eerily empty stadium to your respective locker rooms. Splashing your face with cool water, you attempt to rein in your fiery flush.

How should I bring it up? Or do I wait? He already said he likes me, but what if he didn't mean it?

After changing into your skates, you take a deep breath and head out to the ice.

He was already there waiting for you by the railing. Mark must have heard your footsteps approaching and he turned to give you a warm smile.

"You're right, y/n, these skates are kinda different". He tapped the toe pick into the padded floor.

"Yeah... right," you mumbled, struggling to meet his bright eyes.

He's so cute.

Pale moonlight streamed through the glass ceiling panels and illuminated your surroundings. Mark's hair made his face glow silver and his eyes sparkled with the reflection of the moon. His face fell at your weak response, reading it as disinterest.

You open the gate and skate out onto the ice in front of him. Mark tentatively skated out to follow you, wobbling slightly at the different sensation. You reach out to grab his arms and steady him, meeting his gaze briefly before blinking away. You loosen your grip on his sleeves, the contact making your feelings go wild.

For a few moments, the two of you silently glided across the ice. For the first time ever, it seems, you weren't sure what to say to him.

"Listen," Mark finally spoke, struggling to a stop. He looked down at his skates thoughtfully, "If it's about what I said earlier, if it's about me liking you and that made you uncomfortable, I- I take it back. I feel like I didn't give you a chance to say no if you wanted to-"

"No it's-," you interrupt, skating slightly ahead, "It's not that".

"Then why are you acting so strange?," Mark asked, struggling to keep up.

"I just," you circle to a stop at the middle of the rink. How do you even begin to explain how you feel? Never in your life have you felt like this about anybody. Never in your life have you felt so special and so cared for than when you were with Mark. You would have been lucky enough just being able to know him, but he even likes you. Out of all of the people he could have chosen, he chose you.

Mark careened to a halt behind you, waiting for you to finish. You take a deep breath.

Now or never.

You turn around to face him.

"What you told me in the diner, tell it to me again". Your voice came out weaker than you had intended.

Mark's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion and worry that you were upset with him. He wanted to pull you into a hug, tuck that piece of hair back behind your ear and tell you it's okay if you didn't love him back.

"I-," Mark cleared his throat from his emotions, "I said that I like you, y/n. I like you as more than friends". He looked down towards his feet but before he could blink, he was crushed in between your arms as you jumped to hug him. Your face fit perfectly into the crook of his neck and you breathed in his familiar, warm scent as he wrapped his arms delicately around your waist. The force from your impact caused both of you to drift slightly, but you kept steady. Not brave enough to look him in the face, you whisper your confession to his ear.

"I'm ready to answer you. I... I like you too. As more than friends"

Mark's grip tightened around your waist as he lifted you slightly off the ice. Spinning around, he curled his fingers into the fabric of your sweatshirt as if he never wanted to let you go. Your heart swelled at the feeling as you held onto his sturdy shoulders. Neither of you needed to say anything more. He pulled you close so there was no space left and you listened to the gentle rhythm of his heart beating for you.

Pulling away at last, you rest your forehead against his. Your eyes fluttered closed but you could feel the tip of his nose brush gently across yours, his warm exhalation fanning across your lips.

"You don't happen to have your phone on you, do you?" Mark mumbled deeply, savoring the moment.

You let out a small giggle, "no, do you?".

"Nope"

And with that, you tilted your head up ever so slightly and Mark cupped your cheek to bring your lips together. You melt into his kiss and touch, allowing the way his soft lips moved against yours to express his silent affections. Exhaling through your nose, you sigh into the kiss, moving your hand to rest at the back of his head to pull him in deeper.

Finally.

Mark ran his thumb affectionately across your cheek, his lips speaking of all the times he's wanted to do this. Your fingers lace their way through his soft hair, loving the way he reacts as you tug against the strands slightly.

A loud bang from a closing door causes you to pull apart finally. The bright beam of the security guard's flashlight flashes across the ice as the two of you look on like deer caught in headlights.

"Hey, you two! Get out of there!," the guard shouted, pointing a finger at your embracing form.

"Run!," you whisper yell, pulling him quickly towards the gate. The two of you run as quickly as you can in your skates, pulling them off before you enter the hallway.

"Hey! Stop right there!," the guard yelled, stumbling down the stadium stairs.

"Quick! In here!" Mark tugged you into the boys locker room, shutting the door before the guard could see and ushering you quickly to hide in the gap between two lockers. You squeezed in with him, panting softly as the adrenaline pumped through your body. Mark's arms wrap around your body to pull you closer as the guard opens the door. The flashlight flicked menacingly across the dark room. You hold your breath as it comes particularly close. Finally, seconds that feel like hours pass and the security guard grunts before deciding to move on. You exhale in relief.

Mark rests his chin on top of your head and you realize how closely you're pressed together. You giggle into his chest, loving how warm he felt.

"I can't believe that I get to hold you," Mark whispers. His fingers draw invisible shapes across your back.

You nuzzle your face into his tee shirt. "Well I can't believe we're doing this in the boy's locker room after being chased down by security," you mumble against the fabric. His chest sounded a low vibration as he chuckled back, moving his hand up to stroke your hair.

"You are so, so beautiful, y/n," he moves to kiss the top of your head, "I don't know the words to express how beautiful you are to me".

You press deeper into his body at the words you've always wanted to hear. Lifting your face up from his chest, you press a small kiss to his lips, heart jumping at the still-new sensation. It was sweet, his lips ghosting over yours breathlessly as you nestle your nose gently against his in a slow eskimo kiss.

"I've liked you for so long," Mark whispers in between kisses, "I've wanted to do this for so long".

You answer by gripping the fabric of his collar to pull him in deeper, moving your lips rhythmically against his.

"I think I've liked you for a while too," you admit as you catch your breath, "I just didn't understand it. Or some part of me wasn't ready to admit it".

"That makes sense" Mark rests his forehead on yours, smiling, "I would have waited a thousand years if that's what you needed".

Again and again, he captivated you with his words. He was so good to you and never made you feel like you were anything less than perfect. Day after day, his patience with you never faded and slowly, you let him break down your walls. His comforting smile and optimism always filled you with reassurance and peace.

So standing there, making out in the boy's locker room, illegally, in the dead of night on a Tuesday, you became sure. You were sure that you wanted him in your life. You were sure you wanted to try to be a part of his. As you pressed your lips to his and as he ran his fingers through your hair, there was no turning back.


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