Bully || Septiplier

Chapter Eighteen

1.54k is a really big number

Does that mean 1.54 people are going to yell at me for what I'm about to write?

JACK WAS WALKING down the hallway. It was twelve-thirty. Everything was normal, it was a simple day, nothing extraordinary happening - Felix still didn't show up at school today, which kind of worried Jack. Maybe he should read the note. But he didn't want to.

Anyways, his thoughts were currently distracted with meeting Mark at the bathrooms again, the only time they got to hang out on a daily regular basis. He knew a few of his classmates and even teachers were getting suspicious by now, but he was willing to risk it all for Mark. He heard a rumour going around about him taking pills - at least it covered up the truth.

But when he got to the supposedly regular bathroom, he saw somebody waiting in front of it causally, looking down at his phone. It was Bob Muyskens. Well, of course it was, because wouldn't somebody like that ruin his day? When he stepped closer, Jack saw Bob glance up and smile and put away his phone. "What are you doing here, faggot?"

Jack tried to ignore him and walk into the bathroom anyways, but Bob was suddenly blocking the door. "I said, what are you doing here? You've been pretty fucking suspicious. What's in your pockets, pills?"

"That's just a stupid fucking rumour," snarled Jack, who tried to push past him again. But he was stopped.

"Then what's in there that's such a routine? I bet you get off in there, don't you? Disgusting. You're so short, I bet your dick is tiny too."

Jack tensed up. "Leave me the fuck alone," he growled, taking a step back and staring at Bob with cold eyes. Bob seemed slightly surprised, but masked it with a smirk.

Then the door opened and there was Mark. Bob glanced at him suddenly, and opened his mouth to say something, but Mark was first to speak. "So the myth is true, he does come here at twelve-thirty every day." He made it sound as though he just happened to be here, and wasn't meeting up with Jack. Jack glared at Mark because for a second, he fucking hated him and his lying ass.

"Yeah," said Bob slowly, who shot another narrow glare at Jack. "I want to find out exactly what it is he does."

"Just leave me alone," croaked Jack, who was now genuinely hurt because Mark was picking sides against him. Again. Like always. Well, Jack was fucking done. "You too," he glared at Mark.

Mark raised an eyebrow and laughed. His laugh seemed genuinely mocking, and it stung. It hurt like fucking hell. Jack had to look away. After a moment, he just turned away and ran off, and he heard Bob's call from behind him, "Pussy!"

But fuck him.

Jack thought he looked all cool and badass walking away, but then there was a grab at his arm - particularly like his arm grab to Felix when Felix was walking away - and the world spun as if did whenever Mark touched him. But this time it was in front of Bob, and Jack didn't understand why he bothered to stop him. Maybe this was how Felix felt when he was walking away.

"We still haven't gotten an answer from you," Mark said and you could hear the smirk laced in his voice. Jack honestly couldn't tell if he was being serious or not, but fuck him anyways. Jack turned and gave him a glare, right in front of Bob, that said 'are you bullshitting me?' But Mark pulled him closer to the bathroom and ignored the look.

They approached the door, and Bob was about to follow them in when Mark stopped him. "Just watch to make sure nobody comes in, I'll deal with him."

At first Bob seemed genuinely annoyed and was about to argue; Jack stiffened, awaiting something to happen. But the other boy grumbled and rolled his eyes and turned back towards the door. Jack was quietly glaring at Mark as he pulled him into the bathroom, door heavily closing behind them. And there they were, alone, silence stabbing at their ears.

Since Mark was still in bully mode, it took Jack a moment to gather up the courage to breathe in front of him. After a moment he quietly hissed, eyes slits, "Why can't you just tell him?"

Mark paused, as if for a moment he was contemplating this question too. The mere idea of him having to think about it made Jack bubble in anger, but when Mark looked back up at him and his eyes were dark pools of helplessness, he had to soften just a little. Mark whispered, "It's not that easy."

"It's not easy for me either.." Jack quietly sighed and looked down, staring at the ground as if it were the most interesting thing on the world. "I love you, but the problem is I love all of you. It's as if you only love the part of me you can be alone with, whereas in my case, I love every little thing about you even when you're pushing me around and laughing at me. It's.. difficult." Jack felt as though he was about to explode, as if loving Mark was a curse and he needed a cure, but the trouble was Mark himself was the only legible cure. It was as if he was allergic to his allergy medicine, terribly inconvenient.

But then strong arms were wrapped around him, and he let out a little breath of surprise because Mark was then holding on to him as though the world was about to end. And then he was gently kissing the top of his head, repeatedly whispering, "I'm sorry," and "I love you." It was as if mentally Jack wanted to push him away, but mentally he was safe, at ease with his every whisper. Because in between Mark's arms was his safe place, but it was like foster care because sometimes your safe place isn't your best place.

But every thought left Jack's body and erupted into a wave of ease as Mark took his face in his hands and kissed him. Kissed him as if the world was ending, as if they wee the last two people on earth, as if Mark was Peeta and he was Katniss, as if Jack was Juliet and he was Romeo. They kissed in reminiscence, they kissed like they were in love and they kissed like they were Jack and Mark.

And then the door opened.