The Popstar and the Bodyguard | Septiplier

Chapter 9

He falls silent and I joined him within the silence.
---
"I don't like him." Mark states suddenly. I turn to him with a puzzled half glance. I soon scoff, realizing why.
"You're only saying that because you're jealous. He's a good person, you just need to get to know him personally." I say, holding a laugh.
"I wasn't jealous you jerk." Mark says stammering. I was pretty used to someone acting nervously around me that much. It's happened so many times at the band's signings that I've learned how to point it out. I huff out a breath of air and pull my phone out from my pocket.
"Okay buddy, believe that." I say as I order another Uber.
"So where to Jackaboy?" Mark asks eagerly.
"Were going to go to the Aquarium and then head home so that we can get enough sleep before the signing." Mark looks at me with a raised eyebrow, internally asking why the aquarium.
"Were going to the aquarium because they're having a stingray petting exhibit for the next hour."
Mark gleams with a smile and moves his hair out of his face.
"I've never even seen a stingray in person before." Mark exclaims. He looks as joyous as a child in a candy store. His eyes look really bright and his legs were making him bounce up and down.
"Okay Mark, jeez. I can get us in for free because my friend works there." I say, calming Mark down with a hush. Mark relaxes a bit, still stunningly happy.
---
We arrive at the aquarium and walk up to the door. The whole ride here was sat in silence, but I didn't mind. I pull the door open and get a waft of flowers. The smell surprised me seeing as 99% of this place is ocean water and fish. The lavender smell fumes my nose as I walk up to the front counter. A woman with a high bun is tapping away on a computer. When she hears us she looks up with a smile.
"Hello, welcome to the Los Angeles Aquarium. What package would you like to buy? Our sting ray touching program will be starting soon." She sweetly informs.
"I am actually friends with the manager, is Tyler working right now?" I kindly ask the woman.
She nods and picks up the wired phone setting on the counter. Pressing three numbers, she holds the phone to her ear. She tells the person on the other end to come to the front to see us.
"What's your name?" She asks, moving the phone from her face.
"Jack or... Sean." I reply nicely. The woman presses the phone to her ear and tells the other line my name. Hanging, she looks at us once more.
"Please be patient, he is on his way from the other building." She speaks, gesturing to the seats at the side of the lobby. Mark and I walk over to the seats and sit down. I look at Mark for the first time since we got in the Uber. Marks face has a large grin plastered onto it.
"Well you look excited." I state with a chuckle. Mark nods and taps his foot on the floor. I haven't seen anyone so excited to touch a sting ray in my life.
"Heya Jack! So you decided to take up my offer eh?" A voice echos.
Mark and I turn to see a tall man with curly hair and short brown hair.
"Tyler! Heya! So would you mind if me and my friend Mark, go to the sting ray program?" I ask, a wild smile on each of our faces.
"As long as you put the aquarium all over Instagram, so that we can get new visitors." Tyler States cheekily. I let out a laugh.
Tyler and I have been friends since I moved out here in LA. The first day here, the band and I visited this aquarium yet it was closed. Tyler was locking up alone but decided to let us in since we were new to LA we've been close ever since.
"Of course! Anyway, Tyler meet Mark my new personal bodyguard." I speak, gesturing to Mark.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for letting us come in." Mark politely thanks. Tyler laughs and shakes Mark's hand.
"Nice to meet ya too Mark." Tyler says with a smile.
Mark and I walk around the aquarium, getting amazed by each and every fish. Mark rushes up to a large rectangular glass tank with a wide grin. He slaps his hands onto the glasses cold surface and goes wide-eyed. I walk over to the tank after him, wondering what species caused him to be so amazed. I peer over his shoulder to see three puffer fish, one smaller the two. Mark stares at the small on and followed it's every move with his hazel eyes. He mumbles something under his breath that I couldn't quite catch.
"What did you say?" I question in a whisper.
"I said that puffer fish are the best fish." Mark says, turning to look at me. He didn't realize how close how close I was to his face seeing how I was looking over his shoulder. When he turned, we were an inch away from each other's mouths.
I stare at him, not moving at all.

Mark keeps holding eye contact when his eyes flicker down to look at my lips. He looks at them for only a moment, glancing back up to make eye contact once more. My breath caught in my throat, knowing what would happen if I don't control myself. The aquarium music stops and a female voice echoes through the building from the speakers.
"Attention everyone. The sting ray exhibits program is starting in five minutes. Please head there now. If you miss it, we are not responsible for any refunds."

"I can't believe you're so amazed by a pufferfish." I say in a low tone. I fiddle with my aquarium wristband and back away from Mark slowly.
"Well, they are the best type of fish." Mark says while running a hand through his hair. I chuckle and turn toward the sting ray exhibit.
"Well you heard the woman we gotta get a move on," I speak with a shrug. Mark follows as I walk off in the program.
---
"Jesus Christ! It splashed me." Mark yells, his shirt drenched. I laugh as he complains. The sting ray hit the side of the tank and got mark wet. Mark let's out a Huff and grumbles something.
"Okay buddy, don't curse out the poor stingrays. They didn't mean to." I say, assuring him that they aren't plotting to murder him. A stingray starts going toward my hand which was dunked in the tank. I reach out for its back and feel the smooth surface. It was pretty slimy and had a weird feeling spine. Mark Scoffs crossing his arms because the closest one that he got to ended up splashing him. I look back at the tank to see another one that stingray coming towards my hand. I take that as a chance to grab Mark's hand and put it into the water. He let's out a little yelp, not expecting me to do that and gives me a raised eyebrow. He looks into the tank to see the stingray right next to his hand. He starts to pull his hand away but I take it and put it on the stingray's back lightly. Mark's face pales at touching it so I continued to hold his hand on the stingray to relax him. His shoulders lose tensity and he sighs when the animal moves away.
"You were scared? Of a stingray?" I ask, appalled by the fact that he was so excited to get here yet didn't want to touch a stingray.
"Have you ever heard of Steve Irwin?" Mark asks in a hushed tone. I shake my head no.
"No.. Um why?" I questioned.
"Because he was an australian zoo keeper that died because of a stingray injury to the heart. The barb of a stingray stabbed him and killed him." Mark says, his face pale. "Mark it's not like the aquarium will have stingrays with barbs. There are kids here." I inform, gesturing at the kids next to him.

Mark scoffs and crosses his arms, a small glare was shot at me.

"Well I'm sorry that I don't trust the ocean! The ocean is stupid," Mark says with a huff. I laugh and fling a small amount of water onto his glasses. He rolls his eyes and takes his glasses off, cleaning them with the hem of his shirt. A flash of memory flickers through my brain as I remember the time when PJ and I were at the beach.

PJ and I finished the band's tour and decided to talk at the beach after recording a album. The other band members were busy so we were lonesome and eager to leave the studio. I remember us walking down the stereotypical beach scenario, us kissing with the waves crashing behind us. Dani always assumed that he was a dick but she didn't know what I knew. She never knew of the moments shared with him. And it hurt. When he left. It hurt. How he would just throw our relationship away like it was a empty bag of combos that last for such little time.

My face pales and I turn to look at the stingrays swimming in the pool of water. I intently look at the animals, trying everything in my power to not remember anything more. I try not to remember how his hand would link with mine under the table at a signing. Trying not to remember how he would listen to what I had to say, including the smallest things like what I had for lunch or how a recording session went for me. I start to feel overwhelmed by thoughts of PJ that I decide to get up.

"I'm going to the bathroom," I say with a cold expression that only could be described as pain and sorrow. Why am I all of a sudden thinking of PJ. I try to establish this in my head as I walk down the hall to the bathroom. I feel Mark's eyes piercing through me but I continue to pace the hall. I walk into the men's bathroom to see no one there. With a sigh, I look at myself in the mirror and wash my hands. I hear someone walk into the bathroom and I glance at them to see Mark. He walks over to me and washes his hands in the bathroom.

"It's rude to leave me with the stingrays like that. I could've died by the time you came out of here," Mark says with a smile. Why am I ate up about PJ when a perfectly fine person is here with me? Why waste my time on PJ? He isn't worth it, he left me for some slut. He threw our love away and now I can find better, stronger love.

I smile at Mark with a glow in my eyes.