11:11 // Crankiplier

2.

Mark's POV

I sat down at the table with Bob, Wade, and Tyler. We ate in a silence which was all but comfortable, until Tyler spoke up.

"What do you guys thing about that kid Felix?" He asked, me lifting my head to glare at him. Don't reopen the wound, Tyler.

"Idk man, he seems nice but I feel like he's hiding something." Wade answered, Bob nodding in agreement.

"Well he's Jack's new boy toy." Tyler needs to shut up.

"I wasn't his boy toy." I muttered. "Really? You guys must have just been make out buddies then cause you two never talked. Did you even go on a date?" Tyler's voice seemed to drip with venom, even if he didn't intend it to. I looked at him.

"Look, we don't have any classes together, right? So we mostly just texted. And we weren't make out buddies." I gritted my teeth. Tyler raised his hands in self defense. "Whatever you say, man."

Ethan's POV

I sat down under my favorite oak tree in the quad, pulling out the lunch Delilah had made for me. I bit into the salami sandwich and looked around at everyone sitting with their friends. I dug through my brown paper bag for the "quote of the day" Delilah always put in my lunch.

"You can make more friends in two months by being interested in people than you can in two years by trying to get people to be interested in you.  - Dale Carnegie" I smiled down at the quote. Delilah knew exactly what to say to get me interested.

"So you're telling me to be interested in people, huh Delilah?" I whispered to myself.

But who to be interested in...

"Mark." I said aloud suddenly, pulling away from my thoughts. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, opening messages.

Markiplier

Hello

Hey

What's up?

Uh just eating lunch. How bout u?

Same as you.

Where are you? I don't see you at any of the tables...

Oh I usually sit under one of the trees.

Really? Why

Idk, I just like it better.

It's less crowded.

Quieter.

Huh. I could use some quiet right about now...

You're welcome to sit with me if you want.

Maybe tomorrow.

I smiled a little. I wouldn't be sitting alone tomorrow.

Wait, is this a good thing? I'm not good with people, other than Delilah. But she just kinda gets me. Would Mark get me?

Dude, chill. Don't stress about it. You'll have to talk to him at some point anything for the language arts thingy. A voice in my head reasoned. I took a breath.

I can do this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked up the stairs and opened the door to my room to see Delilah laying on my bed. I cleared my throat and she sat up, her short brown hair falling to her shoulders. She looked at me with a blank stare. Her normally bright green eyes looked glassy, and I could tell her face was red and puffy.

"Delilah? What's wrong?" I asked quietly. She only sniffled in response. I sat down my backpack, walked over, and sat down on the bed, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I whispered. She shook her head. "Do you want to sleep in here tonight?" She nodded. I sighed.

I thought it was over...

"How was school?" She asked gently, pulling away. She'd stopped crying, but her eyes were still red. "It was okay." I mumbled.

"I'm guessing not so much for you, huh?" I chuckled slightly, getting a small smile from her.

"It wasn't that it was bad, exactly. I just felt crumby." She shrugged, looking back at me.

"Make any new friends?" She smiled hopefully at me, wishing the answer was yes.

"Actually yes. A guy named Mark. We've been partnered up for an english assignment." Delilah nodded, a small gleam returning to her eyes.

"Is he nice?" She asked.

"So far, yes."

She smirked, ready to crack jokes and make statements about how he already sounded like my type by just the fact that he was a nice guy. Luckily for me, she didn't. I picked up my backpack, opening it up and pulling out my homework folder. I showed her my workload and explained that I might be busy tonight working. She nodded.

"Just make sure you eat dinner okay?" She reminded me. I looked at her. "I'll try, but school comes first. I have to get my grades  up or I'm gonna fail." She nodded.

"Have you checked your grades lately?" She asked. I nodded. "I'm failing almost everything." She cringed.

"Okay then. I'll leave you to it. But you better believe I'll come back for bedtime." She smiled at me playfully before leaving my room.

I sighed. Time to work.