More Than Friends (boyxboy)

Chapter 16: Secrets revealed

"I'll tell you my secret if you tell me yours."

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The kitchen remains in silence until a plate is put in front of Bay. Mark sits opposite with his own plate as he takes a bite from his food, watching Bay as if he were a subject in an experiment. "So…?" He finally says, the wait is too much to comprehend as he gazes at the younger boy,  whose head was filled with unspoken conversations, but is yet to utter a word.

"So….what?" Bay looks up at Mark, feigning innocence.

Mark wipes his fingers on his shirt, using the hand to rest his chin upon it. He gazes at Bay in wonder. "Am I right in thinking like boys?"  Mark's expression stays blank at the mention of the bold statement and again causes Bay to look away and laugh.

"What? What are you saying?"

"Archie is a boy. I think you like him more than a friend." Mark once again challenges. The suggestion didn't sound aggressive, more inquisitive. Bay looks at Mark once again. There was something in that stare that made him wonder once again whether this was about him at all or whether it was an invitation to something else.

Bay clears his throat, deciding to test his theory. "Why haven't you got a girlfriend?"

Mark sits up all of a sudden. He subconsciously rubs the back of his neck. "I've never found the right girl." He quickly grabs his toast as he looks away to take a bite.

"Mark Lester, the most popular boy in his year, probably the school… the guy who has girls surrounding him like he is a celebrity and is yet to find the right one." Bay smirks as he shakes his head. "Maybe you like boys."

Mark stills. Taking his time. He looks at Bay in thought. Was this the moment he was looking for? Bay had already proved he could keep a secret. That he was trustworthy, and now, if he could just play this one right… He clears his mouth, pushing the plate to one side as he leans forward. He looks Bay directly in the eyes. "Ok… I'll tell you my secret if you tell me yours, but it doesn't leave this moment, this place. Understand?"

Bay's smirk soon drops as he nods, with them both feeling that sense of vulnerability about stepping into the unknown. That brave step to trust. That Mark, someone who was the master of confidence, who had a perfect life, who had no secrets to the unsuspecting world, was willing to let Bay in on his secret and as for Bay? Well, he needed to get things clear in his mind as to what he was feeling towards Archie. Perhaps Mark was the closest thing he could think of at that moment to share the burden. "Ok." He says as he feels a rush of adrenaline course through his veins.

"Ok." Mark copies as he remains on his seat. He nibbles a little on his lip in thought before he looks down at the marble countertop. "Before I continue, I need to know how you feel about your friend."

Bay looks at the other male, almost mirroring the bite to his own lip. How would he play this? He has already decided that he wasn't going to just blurt out the truth. He needed to be more tactful. He needed to ask a more cunning question. "Ok….How can you tell if you really like someone or if it's just infatuation or jealousy?"

Mark sniggers at the question. "Well, it's simple enough if you think about it."

"Then tell me." Bay insists.

"Ok…so….Do you want what that person possesses, or do you want the person?" Mark tilts his head to one side as he sees Bay's expression gaze into the distance. He gets up from his seat and moves around to where Bay is sitting. His taller frame towers over Bay as he stays seated. "You see Bay, when you really like someone more than just a friend, you don't just want to spend time with them, you may want to have them all to yourself, with no one else around.'

Bay becomes aware all of a sudden of the distance between him and Mark as he looks up to see the older boy looking down at him. His eyes get drawn to that exposed collarbone, right at his eye level as he quickly looks away. "I see." Bay says, swallowing hard.

"Do you really?" Mark utters, closing the gap. "What I have recently discovered is that when I like someone, I get a feeling inside. Right about here…" Mark takes his hand to his chest, patting it lightly. "Do you feel that when you're with him?"

"I… umm…." Bay responds. Not knowing what else to say. It was true that he had felt that. The morning after Archie had stayed over. Then, he remembers the bitter reality.  "What does it matter? He has a girlfriend…"

"So he isn't gay? .."Mark wonders.

"He doesn't see me that way. Like I said, he's got a girlfriend now."

"That's good." Mark looks down, smiling to himself. "Because that feeling…I feel it right now…"

"Huh?" Bay looks at Mark, who seemed to be smiling at him, a little awkwardly. "What do you mean?"

Mark laughs at Bay, just not getting it. "For someone who is supposed to be clever, you are acting so stupid right now. I like you, Bay..  I like you."