Trust Your Instincts

-23- Study Group?

 School had ended. Jack told Josh that he wouldn't be able to walk home that day. He didn't tell him that it was because he would be walking with Ken instead. He had spent the first half of the day complaining to Josh about Ken and his friend group anyway, so he felt it would be better just to say that he was simply busy. Josh wasn't too bothered that Jack wouldn't be walking home with him, in fact, he looked almost relieved.

 Mark had planned to walk with Isaac and Felix that day, but as he headed out towards the front of the school, he was pulled to the side by Pete, who dragged him away from the crowd of people flooding out of the school's main doors. Mark's face was already reddening with anger when he saw Pete, who stared back at him coldly.

 "What the fuck do you want Pete?" Mark snapped, trying to sound as threatening as possible, but he didn't shake Pete, who still wore his confident smirk. Mark was tempted to punch him, the small ginger boy didn't scare him like Eli did.

 "Will wants to talk to you out back." Pete said, his tone just as icy as his stare. "Maybe he wants to apologise, I don't know. Just come with me." Pete said, clearly annoyed that he had been given the job of fetching Mark.

 "As pleasant as that sounds," Mark started sarcastically, "my real friends are waiting."

 "Tell them you can't make it today." Pete suggested, his irritation growing. "You're coming with me, it'll only take a minute."

 Mark sighed, too tired to argue, so he walked along beside Pete, fighting against the current of students piling out the doors.

 He opened the door to the back of the school, where the dumpsters were kept, and glared at Will, who looked on at him, smiling menacingly.

 "Mark!" Will beamed, though his smile looked fake. "So glad you could make it."

 His words weren't believable either, they sounded overly enthusiastic. They made Mark worry slightly, he felt like he was in danger, as the gang of boys, minus Ken, surrounded him.

 "I just want to say sorry again for what Jack did to you," Will continued on, his words didn't sound too forced anymore, they were more relaxed. "but don't worry, just like we promised, we're gonna make him pay." He finished, sporting a crooked smile.

 As if on cue, Josh rounded the corner, his headphones covering his ears as he looked to the ground. When he looked up he stopped for a moment, slightly taken aback by the number of people who were looking at him. He smiled at Will nonetheless and removed his headphones.

 "I... didn't realise that it'd be a study group." Josh started, a hint of worry in his voice. "But I suppose I could fit you all in my house." Josh scanned the faces again, his eyes falling for the first time on Mark.

 "Mark?" He said, his eyes widening in surprise, but he smiled warmly still, sighing silently in relief that someone he called a friend was standing among the group. "I didn't know you did Geography?" 

 Mark didn't reply, he looked confusedly at Josh, then back at Will, who had an evil glimmer in his eyes, as he studied Josh intently. Eli and Pete were walking around Josh, stopping behind him, causing him to be in the centre of the circle, surrounded by the group of boys.

 "Y'know, Josh," Will said softly, "upon reflection, I don't think I need any help with Geography anymore." He glanced up at Josh, still smiling menacingly.

 Josh took a step back, bumping into Eli, who stopped him from retreating further. Fear showed in his eyes when he realised that Will never meant for him to tutor him, and then his eyes fell once again on Mark, shooting him a betrayed look.

 Mark swallowed audibly, scared for what was about to happen, and gasped when Eli wrapped his arms around Josh, holding him in place as he struggled to release himself from the tight grip.