𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 .•* 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

The Duality of Man

•••

I had never been so excited to go to school. Not even on field days way back when. This was a whole new ballpark, and I was up to bat.

I woke up at 6am and got ready in an outfit I would've never had the energy to pull off any other day. I was really trying not to be weird about it, but it had been ages since I'd felt that little excitement in my stomach and I wanted to ride the wave in its entirely. 

It had been a week or two since I'd felt any excitement like this at all.

I felt silly getting all ready like this, but Mark had piqued my interest for more than just his relation to Omni-Man. I mean, this was the dude William had been trying to get me to meet. In a way, even though I knew he existed, it was the interaction with him that finally pushed him into my perception.  If I was ever going to find an excuse to wear an outfit nicer than pajamas, this was it.

On any normal day, I would've spent lunch off campus (at Guardian HQ), or sitting with Eve and her friends, but today I was 'too sore' (half truth) to go and 'missed William' (truth, but deflecting the real truth). Instead, I arrived with William, setting myself and my lunch tray into the spot beside him.

"I can't believe after ages of trying to convince you to sit with me at lunch, today's the day," William remarked, his voice ringing above the bustle of lunchtime. "Who would've thought? On a Tuesday?"

"As opposed to a Thursday?" I asked, popping a particularly soggy pancake into my mouth.  Today's school lunch featured breakfast for lunch, and was surely the meal of champions.

"You know what I mean!  No festivity.  No charm," William exclaimed.  "You're lucky there's a seat open here, or you'd have to fight for it.  Most desirable table in the caf."

"I'm acknowledging my privilege of sitting with you," I remarked, a hand on my heart.  "I feel like a celebrity."

"You should!"  William said. "Have you ever actually met Mark before? I think you'd like him."

I paused. "Not personally. I'm sure I will though."

"I'm surprised you two have managed to avoid each other this long. I mean, many comic book geeks do you think there are at this school? And friends with the same dude?"

"Probably a lot, considering we live in superhero central," I quipped, leaning onto my elbow. I would know.

"Alright, but considering we've been friends for so long you'd think I would've forced you guys to hang out," William countered. His face suddenly lit up, and I readied myself for the speech of the century. "Maybe if you weren't so busy all the time-"

"Hey William. Hey... is this (Y/N)?"

Saved by the bell. Mark sat down with a smile, his eyes darting suspiciously towards me. His voice seemed sweeter somehow, like honey. His eyes shined brighter.

I refused to be down bad for some guy I just met - not even as myself, mind you. But it was getting really difficult, especially knowing all the little things I'd heard of him through William.

Another win for the versions of people I create in my mind!

It wasn't that I'd never been interested in meeting Mark before yesterday - he'd always had a little bit of intrigue surrounding him simply because of his relation to William and every story he'd shared. I just never had the chance to do it.