Teenage Torment

Chapter 2: Confused companions

It had been a long day of nothing but algebra, getting group projects and listening to Mark talk and complain like he always did. I walked out of the old rusty school gates with Martha when a voice calls for me, "Hey Lauren, wait up" the mysterious voice called, as I turned around I discover that the mysterious voice was weirdly Mark as he broke from his group of friends running towards me. "I am going to start walking home so you can talk with your boyfriend, see you tomorrow" Martha teased while walking away. "Martha!" I yelled back in annoyance.

Mark reached me and started talking to me just as he did this morning, But then he started to speak like we were best friends. He was so casual somehow. Everyone around us looked confused, including Mark's friends and to be honest so was I, so I just stood there grasping the books I already had in my hands trying to figure out what is happening as he continued to talk. I was too busy thinking about what was happening to listen. Then I heard him say: "Anyway, I was wondering if I could walk you home cause I need to talk to you about something," Mark said confidently. "Um...sure, but you don't even know where I live?" I stated still trying to wrap my head around everything that is happening at this very moment. "Well, true but I still want to walk you home so I can learn where you live." He does it so casually like this happens all the time; it was fascinating. "Are you sure this isn't a prank? because you hate me." I was very confused and for some reason so was Mark."Hate you? I don't hate you, I have come to realize how much of a jerk I am and I would like to apologise for all of that" he paused "which leads me to what I want to talk to you about" I couldn't believe what I was hearing but in the moment I said, "Let's talk about this somewhere else so you don't ruin your reputation."

We started walking through the bush on the scenic track in which I always walk along to clear my mind and collect myself. Mark had been talking all the way "There was something important I wanted to talk to you about and that is that science project we got today, do you want to work on it together?" Mark asked. The science project? He wants to do it with me? "sure" I said still confused "that would be great!" we gaze into each other's eyes for a moment. "Well, this is my place," I say as I look upon the small log cabin covered with fairy lights and tiki torches that line the pathway to the cabin I have lived in for the majority of my life. Mark looked at it with a small grin."Your house looks so cozy" Mark said still looking at the small house in the woods then turning to me and saying "well I better get going. Do you want to meet up in the library at lunch tomorrow to work on the project?" Our eyes connect once more and all of a sudden I have a weird feeling in my stomach. Was it nervousness? But why? I didn't know what it was but I tried to ignore it and say "ok, but are you sure this isn't a prank?" He had a confused look on his face. "Why would I prank you?.....Look I know I was stupid and bullying you in the past, but you seem cool and I would like to hang out more, and by the way, why don't you smile? I bet you have a beautiful smile." I felt my face burn bright red when he said that "well I haven't exactly had much to smile about" I said staring into his lime green eyes as bright as the sun.

I heard a door open and a male voice called my name which I knew was my uncle; he is a 46-year-old male with stubble on his face, short black hair, a beer bottle in one hand and a cigarette in the other. "And that is one of the reasons now" I whispered so only Mark can hear me. "I had better go," I said with a low voice "tomorrow at lunch in the library right?" "Yeah I will see you then bye" he was now also talking in a low voice. "Ok, bye." I said as we both turned around to go our separate ways."Who the hell was that!" my uncle yelled with his scratchy voice making Mark turn around for a second and kept walking but keeping his guard up so no one got hurt but, how was he wrong because once Mark was out of sight I was picked up by the throat, held for long enough to nearly faint but was then thrown back onto the ground and started getting punched me in the face and body like he did every day but this time it was worse, it was rougher and stronger than usual, probably because he saw me with Mark. After a long beat down and lecture, more like yelling, I finished all my homework from that previous day and along I needed to do and went to bed. But tomorrow was another going to be another challenge.

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Sorry for the bad chapter I am not a great writer but I am slowly learning. Hope you all had a great day. Until next time, Bye! (Couldn't think of a title so that's what I got lol)