HEAVEN (Markson)

SUBURBIA

I've Lost What's Mine

< MARK >
15:00
     I walked through the streets, the brisk wind nipping at my exposed skin, my breathes appearing as clouds. I hated smoking, but the way the cloud of water vapor swirled and danced around my head similar to the coils of smoke made me happy. If it hadn't been so harmful, I would've been a chain smoker so that I could be constantly surrounded by the artistic beauty of the clouds of smoke. However, seeing as I knew what it did to people's lungs and the fact that me father had strictly outlawed it, I avoided smokers at all costs, even though it meant I had to ignore more than half of my high school, but they did the same to me.

The majority of my peers didn't like to give me a second look, seeing as I was the Pastor's son and a dead beat. I did have one friend, but besides him I was on my own. His name was Jaebum and he was a senior along with me. We lived pretty close to each other, so we'd often walk home together. However, he had to stay and work on a project with Youngjae, a boy in the grade below us, leaving me alone on my journey that day. I watched as the cars sped by me, my headphones softly playing sad music in the background. I looked down at my phone to read the new message from my boss requesting that I work late that day. I barely looked up as I went to cross the street, texting my boss and telling her I could, when I felt a hand yank me back by the jacket. I was about to run out of fear until I saw the speeding car that would've struck me drive past.

"Maybe you should look where you're going Mark. You'll never know when an angel isn't around." I tensed at the guy's words, fear still pumping through my system.

"Th-thank you," I stuttered, still shocked by my near death experience. I looked at my savior and felt my cheeks heat up. In front of me stood Jackson Wang, one the most popular kids in my grade. I looked down and scratched the back of my neck, kicking at the pavement, extremely embarrassed. "Well, I- I should be going. See you around Jackson," I mumbled quickly, checking the street this time before crossing.

"Hey, wait up!" I heard a voice yell behind me after I successfully crossed, making me turn around confused. "Let me walk with you." I looked at Jackson perplexed.

"Why? What are you doing? What do you want from me?" I asked, concerned. The populars never wanted to be seen by me, let alone offer to walk me home. They knew how my father felt about them, how they were one night away from STDs and how all of their practices were sinful and unholy, so they figured I'd be trying to save them just as much as he was. I felt Jackson wrap one of his arms around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him, accidentally putting pressure on one of my more recent and extremely painful bruises. I whimpered softly and closed my eyes, pain pulsing through arm. Jackson stopped walking and turned me to face him, but I kept my head tilted downward, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Hey, Mark, are you okay?" I could hear the concern laced in his usual care free voice, but I just brushed him off.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just hit my arm on the doorframe the other day, and it left a pretty big bruise. I'm such a klutz it's funny," I lied, faking a smile and a laugh, finally meeting Jackson's gaze. "Don't worry about me. I'm just peachy." Jackson didn't look convinced, but he let the subject drop anyway. We continued on the journey to my house, Jackson keeping his distance from me.

"Thanks for walking with me," I said as we stopped in front of my house.

"No problem." I started walking towards my house when he stopped me. "Do you walk home alone all the time? I could give you a ride, I live a street over," Jackson offered. I shook my head.