Then *Poof* You Were There: A Markiplier fiction #Wattys2014

Chapter 17: Very Organized Santa

(EDIT 2/9/15: I want to thank Hikari180 for the awesome art she did for this chapter!! You're a sweetheart! <3)

I called my parents the next day. They were severely pissed off that I just ran away like that, but after I told them what happened they softened up a bit. They said I could only stay until Mark was back on his feet and was stable enough to leave alone, but I couldn't just do that.

"What about school?" they had asked.

"They do online credit stuff. I can do that."

"But what about us? We don't want you in an unknown place alone."

"I'm not alone! I have friends."

"What friends? Mark isn't your friend. He's some guy who you hardly know and just got out of a huge fight with."

"When will you stop lecturing me and let me make my own decisions! He is my friend and I have more than just him here."

"Really? Like who?"

"Wade and his girlfriend Molly."

"Do we know these people?"

"You don't but I do and I trust them with every fiber I have. I'm not coming back for the rest of summer and I don't know if I'll be back in the fall either." I hung up after that and didn't bother to call back.

I ended up staying past the fall and into the winter. I dropped out of Sam Houston and transferred my credits to the University of Cincinnati animation program which was what I had been doing in Texas. I went back home once to get more clothes and all the other essentials I would be needing for my stay in Ohio. I was not about to leave Mark alone when he was still unstable.

It's Christmas time again and for once, I'm not going to be with my biological family this holiday season. Instead, I'll be spending it with Mark, Wade, Molly, and Bob who came back to town for break. I had gotten Wade to warm up to me again and by the time Christmas Eve rolled around, we were all inseparable. Bob's girlfriend, Mandy, even came over!

"Hey, Lex?" Mark came into the kitchen while I was opening a bottle of champagne for everyone besides me. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure thing! Anything."

"Can we spend tomorrow at my mom's? I know we planned on hanging out here with everyone, but it really means a lot to-"

"Baby, why would you think I wouldn't say yes? Of course we can! That's such a silly question!" I gave him a small hug and pecked his cheek before going back to opening the bottle. The cork popped out with a BANG and fell to the floor. "Come on, everyone needs a little more Christmas spirit, if you know what I mean." He laughed and put an arm around me as we walked back to the living room to fill our friends' glasses.

The rest of the night went smoothly and with no drama. Usually in these kinds of situations where everyone had someone I would get lonely and stand around by myself. I would stay away from people and not talk to anyone unless they talked to me first. That happened almost every time when I hung out with Jasmine and Savvy, not because they would have boyfriends but because they'd be talking to someone and then I'd try to talk too and they'd blow me off as if I wasn't even there.

But tonight I was with friends who treated me like one of them. I was surrounded by people I could fully trust and who loved me as much as I love them. Wade, Bob, and Mark had been friends for so long so it was obvious they wouldn't be arguing much. Molly and Mandy were really nice to me even though I was younger than all of them. They treated me as if I were one of them, which I had become over the past couple months I guess.