Trust Your Instincts

-34- The Art of Deception

  They had managed to keep their relationship a secret from everyone else, Mark saw that as quite an achievement, considering how fast Isaac caught on. He was proud of his restrain, despite it only being Wednesday.

 Jack sat in his last class of the day, but something very different to French occupied his mind. Today was Wednesday. The full moon was tonight and he still hadn't found the right time to tell Mark about his... secret.

 Jack didn't know what to do. Was it really wise to let him know on the day of the full moon anyway? What if he wanted to stay the night and make sure Jack was okay? Jack wouldn't allow that, he refused to put Mark in any danger, especially when he was the danger.

 He had let it get to him as the day dragged on, either avoiding Mark completely or changing the topic of conversation completely whenever it landed on what they were going to do after school that night. He answered that he had a French essay to write for tomorrow, or something like that. He couldn't remember exactly, but Mark seemed to be content with the excuse, and so the conversation didn't go much further.

 Maybe, just maybe, Jack would get away with it for another month, and then, he'd have until the next full moon to tell Mark. The thought brought a smile to his face, but he knew his luck. He couldn't relax just yet.

---

 The bell rang, and Jack walked to the place where he always met up with Felix, Isaac and Mark. It was almost tradition that they'd stand and talk for a few minutes before they went their separate ways home. 

 Jack was first to arrive, since his French class was dismissed a few minutes early that day. He leaned against the wall of the school, as the stampede of students excited to finally get home from another day of boredom thundered past him, some shooting him threatening glares, but none bothering to follow up on them with physical or verbal abuse.

 This seemed to be the case since Will 'killed himself'. Everyone still disliked Jack, but few actually went to the effort to pick on him. Maybe they were scared that the same thing would happen to them? Either way, Jack didn't care, so long as he didn't get hurt.

 Felix was the first to join Jack, greeting him almost ecstatically now that the school week was officially over half way done. Soon after, Mark and Isaac had shown up, and Jack felt a little nervous, the knot in his stomach tightening painfully. If he messed up or made Mark suspicious in any way about tonight, he risked Mark finding out about his other form, on the worst night possible.

 The horde of students flooding out of the school's front doors had thinned out almost completely and Jack was just waiting for a time where he thought that it'd be acceptable to say goodbye to the others and head home.

 "Okay, well I'll see you guys tomorrow then?" He said optimistically, waving off the other three and turning on his heel, Isaac and Felix doing the same thing in another direction. Isaac caught his eye for a second, grinning and mouthing a 'good luck' for tonight, to which Jack simpered back.

 Before he could take a step, however, Jack was stopped when he felt a hand wrap around his, squeezing it gently. He turned around to see Mark smiling at him warmly, every inch of his face was beautiful in the faded mid-afternoon sunlight. His glasses barely reflected the yellowing leaves in the background, and his stubble was growing fuller by the day, framing his face handsomely, and giving him a more rugged, carefree sort of look.

 Jack struggled to pull himself from the trance that Mark's face had pulled him into, forcing himself to smile back convincingly at Mark.

 "I feel like I haven't seen you all day!" Mark observed, a hint of irritation was present in his voice, but it wasn't directed towards Jack in any way.

 "I saw you at lunch." Jack countered, smiling widely and intertwining his fingers in Mark's.

 "I know... It just sucks that we only have one class together," Mark murmured, his head cocked downwards. "Are you sure you can't do anything tonight?" 

 Jack's eyes widened with alarm. He tried his best to keep calm as he lifted his hand to Mark's chin, tilting his head up so that they were looking into each other's eyes. Jack didn't know why, but he felt that eye contact would make his lie more convincing. 

 "I'm sorry Mark, but this Geography report is due tomorrow, and I'm already really behind in that class, so I gotta do well." Jack said, trying his best to sound disappointed that he couldn't see Mark.

 Mark smiled understandingly, scolding himself slightly for coming across so needy and attached to Jack. He had to give him space, after all, if it was going to be a healthy relationship. He looked around to make sure nobody was nearby, before leaning in and kissing Jack on the cheek.

 "Okay." He pouted exaggeratedly. "But tomorrow you're all mine McLoughlin." He crooned with a chuckle.

 "Deal." Jack beamed, before turning on his heel again and heading off down the street to his apartment, content with how he handled the situation.

 Mark smiled before he started to head home, but halfway there he realised something.

 Jack said Geography, but at lunch he told him that it was a French essay that he had to write, and to top it all off, Mark knew for a fact that Jack didn't have either of these classes tomorrow.

________

A/N Hello, yet again!!

I am back with another one!! I had a big gap between classes and all my friends were either in classes of their own or at home, so guess who sat in the library and wrote loads instead of studying (its me)

 I hope you enjoyed this chapter, though I know it was still not overly exciting, there's a little bit of a buildup again ;o

 But before I start spilling the secrets of my imagined plot line, I will end this A/N with another thank you and a hope that you have a lovely day/night ^.^