Heart's Promise

Chapter 3

"Will you go out with me?" Joe repeated, then looked away before looking at Mark again.

"What?" Mark asked, his face blank.

"Will you go on a date with me?" Joe asked again, his heart racing once again.

"You want to go on a date? With me?" Mark's eyes went wide. "Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" Joe was taken aback. "Because I like you!"

"You do." Mark looked at him for a moment longer. "Joe, you know that your brother will probably murder me if I do agree to this? Scratch that, he will kill both of us."

"Which is why I'm not going to tell him." Joe said. He clasped his hands to keep them from shaking. "Will you?"

"No." Mark shook his head. "I don't have a death wish." He was silent for some time. "But, are you sure about this?"

"Of course, I am!" Joe looked like he was about to cry. "I've liked you for so long. Do you not believe me?"

"I do, I do." Mark shook his head.

"I know this sounds weird." Joe continued. "But if you do go out with me, I promise I won't make it weird."

"I know." Mark said.

"Then, will you?" Joe's puppy eyes melted Mark and he nodded.

"Ok." Mark said. Joe's eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't believe what he had heard.

"Does that mean you like me too?" Joe asked, holding his breath.

"Don't push it." Mark answered, hiding his smile behind his hand. Impulsively, Joe threw his arms around Mark who went still.

"Thank you." Joe's voice was muffled against Mark's shoulder. He pulled away, then stepped back, his face turning red. Mark's phone rang startling both of them.

"It's Jin." Mark looked up at Joe's face before taking the call. "Yeah ok." He said into the phone. "He was asking us to meet him at the parking lot."

"Ok." Joe nodded and they set off to the parking lot. It was getting dark and Joe stumbled again.

"You're really clumsy." Mark commented with a wry smile. "Here." He held out his hand. Joe looked at him, questioningly. "Come on." Mark picked up Joe's hand and held it as they walked. Joe's heart rate picked up once again and he randomly wondered if it was possible to die of a heart attack because the person you like was holding your hand.

"Where were you?" Jin asked as they stepped into the parking lot. Mark had let go of Joe's hand the moment they had caught sight of Jin waiting.

"Are you hurt?" Jin had spotted the bandage on Joe's arm.

"I just tripped and fell." Joe said.

"He's fine." Mark added. "It's not bad, just a scrape."

"He insists on walking too fast and ends up falling." Jin sighed.

"Stop complaining." Joe said. "I'm fine!"

"Take him home." Ren said.

"Alright." Jin said. "Let's go." He gestured to Joe who got in the car. Ren and Mark watched as they pulled out of their spot and left.

Joe had chosen the next Sunday as the day for his first date. However, he still had not come up with a solid plan. It was not for lack of ideas but quite the opposite; he had way too many ideas. Over the next few days, Joe and his friends brainstormed as to what would be an ideal first date activity. Joe did not want to watch a movie or go to a coffee shop, he wanted it to be more memorable than that. Lin had forwarded a link in the group that led to an article about first date ideas.