Skater Boy 《scomark》

CHAPTER EIGHT

It's been a week since the Halloween fair, but there isn't a single day where I don't see Mark. I start driving to his house later in the day, cutting out my morning skate to get schoolwork done faster. We never go inside and he never tells me why I can't come in, but I don't ask or push either. Right now we're in a happy little bubble between friends and boyfriends. I don't want to ruin whatever it is we have.

Mark and I have been hanging out for the majority of the day. Spending time with Mark is easily one of the best things I do now. Other than skate with my friends and cook with Mom, it's always the highlight of my day. I can tell he's waiting for me to ask him on another date, but I was serious about not rushing into things. I want to enjoy every moment I have with him.

"So, what do you want to do now?" I spare a quick glance at the boy seated next to me. Being the safe driver I am, I quickly return my full attention to the road in front of me.

Mark is silent for a few moments so I imagine that he's thinking. Of course, this leads me down the dangerous path of imagining what his thinking face must look like when he knows that no one is looking. I bet his eyebrows knit together and his tongue pokes out. I blink a few times as I zone back in, hearing Mark's voice next to me. Shit. He's been talking and I have no clue what he just said.

I glance his way. "Sorry. What was that?"

Mark gives me a quizzical look for a few moments but if he can somehow read my mind and knows just how weird I was just being he doesn't say anything. "I was just saying that we should go back to my house. My mom gets weird if I'm out of the house for too long."

I'm stuck between being disappointed that Mark wants to go home and end our hangout and being surprised that he's talking about his mom. While we've been hanging out a lot more we never talk about his home life. I never push him about the subject, but I do want to know more about the people that raised him. After all, Mark is pretty fucking awesome.

"Yeah, sure, of course."

I turn the music up, Mark rolls his window down, and I drive. It's a cold November day, but we're both dressed for the weather. Mark looks adorable in a blue jean jacket and a black baseball cap. He somehow manages to make everything he wears look cute, even if the items aren't usually that cute on their own.

I pull into Mark's driveway fifteen minutes later as I belt out lyrics to some pop song playing on the radio. I take note of the burgundy car sitting in the driveway. I'm not sure if it's moved since the last time I escorted Mark home. Lately, I've been walking Mark home and then skating back to the park to catch up with my friends. If they mind they don't show it, but I really hope they don't.

"And here we are." I put the car in park before removing my keys. The music shuts off, the engine rumbles to a stop, and then the only remaining noise comes from Mark's and my breaths.

Mark flashes a smile at me. "Come on, Scottie."

Figuring he wants me to walk him to the door, I follow him out of my car and lock it behind me from habit. I trail behind Mark as he walks up the front steps to the door. He unlocks the front door with a key that looks slightly bent and like it could break any day now. I wonder if there's a story there. He opens the front door, stands there for a few second seconds, and looks over at me.

"Well, are you coming or not?"

I don't try to hide my surprise. "You want me to come in?"

"Well, yeah." He grabs my hand, pulling me through the threshold with him. The house is pretty simple on the inside. Brown walls and color matched furniture, a large fireplace in the living room where everything is centered. Mark pulls me to another room which I quickly recognized as a kitchen. "I'm sorry for not inviting you in sooner."