The Little Things [Book 1]

Chapter Fifty: Man Of The Match

The party was being thrown by some of the football players. It was at the quarterback's house and if Mark was correct his name was Connor Graham, but Mark wasn't one to be trusted with names. The only reason he had bothered with remembering names in this new school was Thomas. Thomas had reached out to him, and even though Mark hadn't wanted to hang out with him at first, Thomas had kept on being persistent. And his friends had accepted him in the group. So other than those five friends and Mira he hadn't bothered keeping any name in his mind.

He hadn't bothered getting to know anyone else. Which had resulted in this awful experience at the after-graduation party. Sure, Mark liked parties. He liked to drink and dance and have fun. But he preferred it when his friends were there. This party, where he knew only a handful of people, was pretty stressful.

He was sitting on a sofa, looking at Thomas as he danced alongside Rachel. He could also see Blake and Gina making out while dancing. As he drank some beer he looked over trying to find Bryan and Dean but only saw Dean who was approaching him.

"You look absolutely miserable..." Dean noted as he sat down next to Mark.

"So do you," Mark snapped back, moving his gaze back to Thomas.

"I have an excuse. I just saw my ex-girlfriend kissing some football player".

"She's fast..." Mark drawled and turned to give Dean a sad smile. Dean shrugged it off.

"So am I," he replied. "What's your excuse for being miserable?"

Mark's eyes drifted back to Thomas again. "I really want to go and join him..."

"Then why don't you?" Dean asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because," Mark started and shed Dean a pointed look, "what I have in mind will out him".

In understanding, Dean nodded and then clanked his beer can with Mark's. Having nothing else to say, Dean stood up and went to join his friends who were dancing. Mark fished out his phone from his pocket and leaned back on the sofa as he typed.

Mark: I'm over this. Wanna come pick me up? You can spend the night.

He went through his social media as he waited for the reply. It was a little after three in the morning and Thomas had already told him he wasn't going to spend the night, so he figured it wouldn't be a problem as long as she was awake.

Sam: I'm on my way. Send me the address.

He typed in the address and decided to head outside even though it would take at least half an hour for Sam to arrive. The music was starting to give him a headache. A little air would do him good. As if on cue, when he rose up Thomas noticed it and walked toward him.

"Where are you going?" he asked loudly in order to be heard over the music.

"Home. I'm tired and bored," Mark replied.

"But I didn't even see you dance!" Thomas whined. At that, Mark let out a deep chuckle and leaned in so that his lips almost touched Thomas's ear.

"You wouldn't be able to handle it".

A shiver went down Thomas's spine and slowly he pulled back to look into Mark's eyes. As if being pulled by an invisible string, Thomas started inching closer, ready to kiss him. But Mark pushed him back, having smelled the alcohol on his breath.

"Don't do anything you'll regret in the morning," he said to Thomas and walked out of the house.

He sat by the curb of the road, right by a patch of grass. There were a few people outside, sitting down, talking, and some even puking. No one really paid attention to him as he sat and waited for his friend to come.