stutter

06. - weird

RORY 

I was in my room trying to come up with the perfect thing too say to my mom. I felt so stupid that i didn't ask for her permission first. What if she says no? Adam already declined this, so he'll have to ask somebody else and they'll probably fall in love with Mark too obviously because how can you not and Mark would go out with them because they helped so much and... 

I took a shaky breath. Let's not overthink this. You don't even know if he's gay or not. 

I knew that my mom wouldn't say no if she gets a good enough reason. She wouldn't have minded someone like Adam staying over, they've met a thousand times before. That's why I was stressing over this. She didn't even know about Mark's existence. 

I called Adam to ask for his help. I hated the fact that Mark was closer to him and liked him seemingly a lot more but logically I knew that I shouldn't resent him for this. 

He picked up on the third ring, "Hey dude what's up?" 

"Hi. Can you help me?" I asked not beating around the bush. I continued after he said he could. "Do you know why Mark needs a place to stay at?" 

"Why would I?" he asked in a bored tone. 

"Well, you two seemed to be really close..." I trailed off, trying not to sound jealous but the way Adam sighed I must've been bad at pretending. 

"Dude. You're so not cool lately," he started. I wanted to explain myself but he cut me off. "I'm straight! As straight as a... straight person! I don't know what's up with you but every fucking time Mark talks to me you act like a horrible ex who cant move on. Stop!" 

"I'm sorry."

"Even if I was bi or something, which I'm not, I would not go out with your crush. It's in the bro codex!"

I sighed. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, I just... The fact that he is not as close to me annoys me. I didn't do anything for him to like me less."

"Yeah but you also didn't do anything for him to like you more." The way he said it left me speechless. I expected him to get close to me while doing nothing. I couldn't even talk to him without looking like a fool. I was so stupid. "Look," he continued. "You should just simply ask him. It's no unreasonable to know this, he will answer it."

"Will you be there next to me?"

"No. You're seventeen, act like it."

. . .

MARK

I was sitting with he hockey guys' table at lunch. It was still awkward but they didn't let me to eat somewhere else. They still acted like I'm some kind of famous person, stared all the time and asked idiotic questions. 

It's fine, I told myself. I just need to survive for a little while and I'm free.

I didn't want to leave them without a trace while one of them is doing a huge favor for me. Rory was kind and quiet, didn't ask unnecessary things like the others. He was acting weird, staring at me a little too long, couldn't look me in the eyes and stuttering all the damn time. If he wasn't on the team I would've thought that he had a crush on me. I knew that sportsmen can be gay too, obviously, but it was to unlikely. I just wrote him off as a weird kid and went on with my day.

I was heading towards my next class after lunch, when he called my name.

"Hey, Mark!" he was quiet, I could barely hear him. "I just, um..."

"Is everything alright?" I asked, trying not to be an asshole. I didn't want him to change his mind.

"Yeah, perfect! Why would it be?" he asked with and awkward laugh. "I just... Why- Could you tell me why do you need a place to stay?" he asked incredibly fast. I needed a few seconds to understand what he was asking. His face was turning red slowly as he waited for my answer.

"My family goes for a vacation and they don't really like me. Rather be anywhere else than hear them talking shit about me."

"Oh," he said, frowning. "Thanks!" he muttered and ran away. I looked after him trying to realize what the fuck was that.

Must be weird kid things. 

a/n - ...is anybody still here?
i wont make any promises, but i do love this story and i really want to finish it. i have a bunch of ideas written down so hopefully that will help me with this. 
dont give up on this story thanks byeee