Just A Family Friend

• 10 •

I began washing the dishes from our breakfast and I suddenly felt a presence behind me. I tilted my head to see Mark standing closer than he should.
"Is everything alright, Mark?" I asked and he let out a breathy chuckle which was oddly sexy to me. Yuck!

"Man... I was tryna scare ya. " he laughed and I scoffed.
"I'm not scared easily. "

"Oh yeah... Bet. " he challenged me and I shrugged.
"Okay, whatever. " I giggled and he eventually walked back upstairs.

I dried the dishes and put them up in their designated areas then made my way upstairs. I trotted pass Mark's room and glanced into it. He was sitting at the back desk on his laptop...  typing something? Curious, I walked up behind him to peak at his screen.

YouTube?

I scanned the screen with squinted eyes. My eyes falling upon the name of the channel he was on. Markiplier.
Interesting.
All of a sudden, he jumped and growled at me. I felt my heart stop as I staggered back.
"Mark!! " I screamed and he laughed. I giggled along with him seeing as he finally got me and scared me and he didn't even have to do a thing.

"Gotcha. " he chuckled.
"I see." I grunted before focusing back on his screen.
"What is that? "I asked and he slowly closed his laptop as if he didn't want me to see the screen, but he didn't want me to know that either.

"It's nothing really. Just the internet. " he smiled as he waved his hands absentmindedly. I tilted my head, not really believing that he was telling me the whole truth, but shook it off anyway.
"So watcha gonna do today? " I asked curious, and he shrugged.
"I may go to the new shoe store in the mall and buy a pair. You? " he replied and something light up in me, but I don't know why.
"Uh- I-I'm supposed to be going to the mall to meet my friend. But I could drive with you, if you're okay with that. " I said and he smiled softly.
"Sure. "

✳✳✳

I waited for Mark to unlock the doors and he did. I opened the car door and sat inside of his familiar car. The car I had that dream in. I shivered at the thought of it.
"Are you okay?  Your cheeks are red again." He spoke through my deep train of thought and I just stared at him.
"Um... Okay? " he sighed as he put his key in the ignition.
"S-sorry, I was thinking again. " I muttered and he sealed his lips, eyeballing me.
"What are you thinking so hard that makes your cheeks red? " he scoffed.
I just shook my head playfully as I gazed out the window. The streetlights and trees passed by in a colorful blur while my mind drifted.

For some reason, I started thinking about Mark again. Thinking about how nice and kind he is. About how handsome he is, but how humble he acts. He isn't vain like other beautiful people I've met. His hair is so floofy and he seems like he should have everything at his fingertips because he's so likable. Then a question popped into my head. May not be an ideal question to ask, but I asked it anyway.

"Hey, Mark? "
"Yeah. " he responded without taking his focus off the road.
"Why did you have to find someone to live with?" I asked and he shifted in his seat a bit.
"I-uh- my business that I run had gotten shut down. I'm trying to get it running again, but it's a bit complicated. It was all the money I had coming in. Without it, I'm broke and can't pay bills on my house." He sighed and I nodded.
"What kinda business is it? " I asked and he bit his lip as if he was contemplating on telling me or not.
"You can tell me, I don't judge."
"It's an online, internet business that I own."he replied and I nodded again.
"Was it that YouTube thing I saw?" I nudged him and he chuckled before letting out a deep sigh.
"Yeah- should've known better than to trust that a site like that would stay up forever. " he scoffed and I agreed.

We finally pulled up to the mall and I instantly searched for Monae and right when I thought of her, she came into sight.
"Monae!?" I shouted and she spun around, I smiled admiring her golden brown skin and bright smile, her curly dark hair was in a fluffy ponytail. She wore a very elegant sweater dress with an expensive scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Hey!! (Y/n)... And-" she dragged off once her eyes landed on Mark.
I almost forgot he was with me.

"Oh this is Mark!  Mark this is my best friend, Monae!" I introduced them to each other and they gave  each other a soft smile.
"So -uh- is he your~ uncle or something -?? " Monae asked skeptically, her strong British accent making way.

"Wha- no! " I laughed, "he's my dad's friend and has to live with us cau-" Mark interjected abruptly.
"YeH!  Yeah- I'm just a family friend." He chuckled nervously while jabbing my side.
I forgot he may not want his business out there, but I usually tell Monae EVERYTHING.

"Ahh- okay nice to meet you, Mark." She smiled and he smiled back.
"Nice to meet you too. And you have a wonderful accent by the way. " he complimented her before sexily smirking.

She covered her mouth as she blushed.
"Why thank youu-" she squealed before yanking me by her side.
"Where did you find this good-looking sir?!" She whispered and shrugged.
"I didn't find him, my dad did! " I laughed.
She smacked her lips.
"He's way to old, but if he was our age, you could've taken him, he's a full course meal! " she scoffed and I pushed her as I laughed.
"Oh hush!  Not even! "

Once we got in, Mark turned me to face him before leaning toward my ear. My mind buzzed, for I could smell his intoxicating scent radiating off of him.
"I'm gonna go now, okay. When you're ready, I will most likely be in the Gamestop."he said and I nodded.
"See ya, later. " he said, looking into my eyes. His hazelnut eyes making me sink.
He waved at Monae before disappearing into the crowded hallway of stores. I actually felt detached. Since we've been eating out and going to movies together, it felt odd not to have him by me.

"So is that who was keeping you busy the last few weeks? " she bluntly stated after he was gone.
My eyebrows knitted in confusion.
"What do you mean? "
"Ohh don't do that crap!  You didn't answer me or Rachel's calls or texts, we were supposed to go to the mall a long time ago and you... Forgot?" She scoffed with a blank face.

"Everyone forgets, Monae! " I growled And she laughed, "Not you!  You practically beg me to meet with you at places so you wouldn't be alone. But now you apparently have someone. " she sneered and I glared at her.
"Excuse me, I should be saying that about you!  Besides him and I aren't like that! "I grunted and she leaned on her hip.

"Yeah, right. Just keeping it real with you- you can't say shit about Rachel being with older men if you are too. " she bluntly stated.

I cringed inside.
"Okay, you know I would tell you if I did, I tell you everything. So don't go off at me and make something up out of nothing about me when you know it's not true. " I sternly said and she halfly smiled.
"Okay."
"Thank you." I said and we began to walk to the food court.

Next chapter coming soon...
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