ENSHROUDING LIGHT

THE DAY WITH MARK

CHAPTER 14

THE DAY WITH MARK

'You look wonderful,' Mark said as she and Tom met him at the bus station to help out at the soup kitchen.

She beamed at him, batting her long, mascaraed lashes. 'These old things.' She rubbed her new, bum-flattering jeans as if she'd made no effort.

'I mean your hair and your...eyes.' He stared at her like she was a miracle.

She'd let her multi-coloured pastels fade enough to allow her natural colour to shine through, giving it just an iridescent glow, and straightened it. She'd also applied eyeliner and lip gloss. With no other colours framing her face, her green eyes were all the more striking, but she never expected a reaction like this. Usually refined, dignified, and a real gentleman to the point of being shy, Mark had never acted like he fancied her before.

'Thanks.' Nevaeh took slow and steady breaths to calm her palpitations. Thoughts of her impending doom faded when Mark was around. She was somehow brighter, perkier. Even if he didn't have the guts to ask her out, it wasn't because he didn't fancy her. In your face, Alicia!

'Are you ready for the soup kitchen?' Mark asked Tom.

'I am.' Tom held out his right hand. Mark took it and looked as happy to be holding Tom's hand as Tom did his.

She took his left hand, and Tom turned his head from side to side as if proud of the chain he'd created. She smiled down at him. The three of them walking down the road together like a happy family seemed so right.

As they walked through the city, she could feel the bounce in Tom's stride.

She looked at Mark. 'Thanks for letting us help, today.'

He smiled. 'Thank you. We need all the help we can get.'

'Do you think the light I have will ever go dark?' Tom said as they walked by the side of the canal. 'I hope it doesn't. I wouldn't want that.'

She looked at Mark. How would he react?

Mark smiled like Tom's question was normal, same as he always did.

Tom looked up at her. 'Do we have to stay in our bodies?'

Mark laughed. 'I think you should learn biology next!'

'Biology as in body things?'

'That's right.'

'Can we change our bodies. I feel like we can, if we—'

'Teach me if so,' said a young lad, dressed in skintight jeans, high heals and a flowery top who was sat on a bench eating a salad sandwich.

Tom let go of their hands, and walked to him. 'What's your name?'

The lad wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, revealing many lined scars up his arm. 'Which one?'

Tom stepped closer. 'The one you like best.'

Nevaeh placed her hand on his shoulder. 'Sorry to bother you.'

'He isn't.' He looked up at her with lashes that touched his brows, his brown eyes holding a world of sadness that his smile couldn't conceal. 'My name's Ruby.'

'You want to change to a new body?'

'Tom!' Nevaeh ruffled his curls.

'It's okay,' Ruby said. 'He's only asking. At least he has the courage to ask me what my deal is, unlike some.' Ruby looked to his right and turned up his nose.