Trust Your Instincts

-11- Hug the Liar

 Sunday was hell, for both Mark and Jack. Jack spent the day stiff and in pain from his struggle the night before, his head pounding from his lack of sleep. Mark spent the day thinking of something to say as an apology, trying his best to make it sound sincere, and not as if he was accusing Jack of being too sensitive. He didn't leave his room, refusing to come down for dinner by claiming that he was feeling too sick for his dad's cooking. 

 He didn't understand it, he didn't understand why he cared so much about Jack's feelings. Maybe he was just more of a caring person than he thought he was. He went to bed that night, once again overthinking things, and therefore getting very little sleep. At least he wasn't crying like last night.

Mark must've slept through his alarm, because he awoke to silence. Had he forgot to set it? It didn't matter. School started in half an hour and he wasn't even out of bed. He rushed to the bathroom and washed himself up the best he could in the little time he had, and completely skipped breakfast, running out of the door before he had even managed to sling his backpack over one shoulder. 

 He was last to class, obviously, as he was 10 minutes late, bursting through the door with such force that everyone looked up from their desks and eyed him suspiciously. Out of breath and probably shiny from the sweat on his forehead, Mark walked over to the teacher, apologising for being late, and headed to the back of the class to take his seat beside Isaac.

 "You look rough," Isaac started, his voice deep, yet caring, "hard night?"

 Mark looked into Isaac's eyes for the first time. They were a dark shade of green, the only thing Mark could think of to describe them was emerald. A stunning shade of emerald, darkening as it reached the rims. He felt safe, as if no matter what he said, Isaac wouldn't think any different of him. He could've killed the president and he'd bet that Isaac would be there to see him through it.

 He had known him for only a week now, and yet Mark considered Isaac as one of the best friends he had ever had. Mark envied his personality, his ability to see only the good in others, the way he made others feel safe, wanted, loved with nothing more than the twitch of the corner of the mouth and a raise of the left eyebrow. 

Mark didn't understand what had just came over him, but before he knew it he was explaining everything that had happened on Saturday, not bothering to try and be discreet so that the teacher wouldn't see him. Isaac's eyes followed every movement of Mark's lips, his eyes darting left to right, as if he were hanging onto every word Mark said, registering it in his brain. When Mark had reached the part where he got kicked out, however, Isaac's face froze. The interest lingered for a moment, but his warm expression was completely taken over by something less inviting.

 It was obvious to Mark at that point that there was something he was missing, a secret that Jack had, that Isaac knew of, and that he was now determined to find out.

 "What? What's wrong Isaac?" Mark said, deciding to confront Isaac immediately. The colour fled from Isaac's face, as he desperately grabbed for an explanation as to why he had suddenly become so speechless.

 "Uh... I... I... Sorry Mark... I just had a sudden pain in my chest, it was really sharp, but I-I'm fine now. Now... you were saying?" Isaac tried to fake an innocent smile, and would have succeeded had Mark not suspected him beforehand. It was a terrible excuse, but his charm made it seem almost believable, even to Mark, who knew for a fact that it was a lie.

 Deciding to play along, Mark continued telling his in depth flashback of the night, stopping every few seconds to analyse Isaac's facial expression, and when he realised he had gotten nowhere, he gave up and decided that he'd apologise to Jack in physics.