Work Before Play

The Final Semester

*time skip*

I woke up to the feel of Mark rubbing my back. Slowly, I picked up my head to feel a piece of my notepaper stay attached to my cheek. Mark's deep chuckle broke the silence and began to make my head ring.

"Lydia. Just think, after this it's over. This is your last final of college ever. All this hell you put yourself through, will be worth it." Mark said softly as he pulled the stuck note card off my cheek.

"Yeah. But Accounting 4 final is always supposed to be brutal." I groaned.

"That's why you made almost all A's leading up to this exam. Even if you bomb this, you are still home free, honey." Mark kissed my forehead trying to motivate me. "Here I made you this."

Mark reached around the table to pull a cup closer to me. The smell of coffee engulfed my nose, I moaned in happiness.

"Mark, I love you. What would I do without you?" I commented.

"Probably still a stick in the mud, Stiff." He joked using my nickname.

"Hardy har har." I rolled my eyes at him.

After having my first cup of coffee, I showered and dressed quickly so I could get ready to pack up and leave for the final exam time.

~*~

After three hours of being locked in Cornell hall's biggest exam room, I was free. I internally cried as my exam papers left my hand to be given to one of the instructors' hands. All my hard work for the entire semester better have paid off, because that exam bent me over and fucked me harder than any final ever has- and chem was scarring when I had taken that.

All those nights that I had locked myself in my room to study, to cram information, to finish spreadsheets: all of it came down to making that final score be a passing grade. All the mornings that Mark had woken me up to the smell of coffee and breakfast, all the foot rubs and back massages, all the love he could ever have given me in just staying out of the way: all of it better pay off.

I turned my phone back on after leaving the exam room to find a notification from YouTube, Mark uploaded a video. Putting my phone away, I went to the Student Union to grab a coffee and a comfy chair to watch Mark's video. Opening the app, I saw the video was titled "Lydia's Last Final."
Oh gosh.. This will be interesting, I thought, as I pressed play.

Mark was sitting in the bathroom, In the tub... Again. 

"I don't know why my bathroom has to have the best lighting. I am sure all you guys think I have some crazy fetish with my bathroom now.
Anyways! As titled on the video, today's upload is kind of selfish. I just wanted to brag on Lydia a little bit right now."

Mark floophed his stark red hair around a bit.

"But, she will be probably watching this close to the time I get around to uploading this. So I just wanted to say, stay in school kids! Because Lydia has put up with so much of my crazy crap of a lifestyle and maintained a positive school life and business career beyond me attempting to distract her from it all! I really just wanted to make this video to say, whatever your dreams are, no matter how stupid or smart, no matter how small or big, just chase them. Chase them faster and harder than anything you ever wanted. Make them a reality. Before too long of missing your chance with your dreams, you'll realize how much you want to kick yourself in the ass with regret."

Mark glanced around before looking back on the camera.

"Lydia, thank you for showing me dedication. Thank you for accepting my proposal, just thank you for everything. You came into my life by the smallest of chances and for some reason in the midst of my teasing and dickishness, you stayed. And you have decided to stay for the long haul of my crazy youtube life and somehow keep ahold of your own dreams. Thank you for being you and helping these videos stay consistent and up to date and forcing me to record when I don't want to. Really, guys you have to thank Lydia for this channel some days, she keeps me going when I feel overwhelmed.

And I guess that's all I really had to say... Boring, sappy, disgusting lovey dovey Markimoo, I know. Blech."

Mark made a vomit sound.

"Anyways. Stay in school kids, even you could be an engineer.... Or a youtuber that can't exist in the real world- like me! Buh bye!" Mark waved the the camera and the screen faded to reveal sleeping pictures of me and pictures of me studying. All of them being extremely embarrassing of course.

I sniffled and stifled a small laugh with tears running down my face from Mark's video. I pulled you Mark's number and texted him.

Lydia: I love you... But I hate you...

Mark: ....
Mark: I love you too Stiff. Now get your ass back home, I wanna see your pretty face.

Lydia: Fiiiiine
Lydia: Be there in 10 Marki

~*~

Chica was the first to greet me as I walked through the front door. And then I heard Mark running downstairs.

"Hey, babe." Mark looked sheepishly around the room.

"Do you honestly think I am mad?" I asked with a scoff.

"Well.. Uhh.." Mark scratched the back of his head.

"Well, I am not. Except for the sleeping pictures.  What the hell? Markers on my face of Dickbutt and of the notecards stuck to my cheek and the drool? Thaaaanks a lot." I said with sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Cmon, you loved the video, I know it." He laughed at the memories.

"You suck."

"I know, I am horrible." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Fuck you." I pushed him lightly.

"Oh intend on fucking you hard." Mark said cryptically. Suddenly, I was thrown over Mark's broad shoulder and carried upstairs.

Oh how I love this man.