☼MARK∞
"You're joking."
"You got me!"
Cue the sad songs and close the curtains.
Because here's the thing.
I have a thing for Cassidy McDonell.
Everyone in the squad knows 'cause I called dibs freshman year. God knows I tried to shoot my shot but damn if she isn't denser than the carbs Coach tries to make us eat to bulk us up. I don't mean to talk shit but there it is.
Well, when I said I tried shooting my shot, last I tried was three years ago. Fine, call me a coward but I'm that coward who got to spend an hour with her come rain or shine for a hundred and eighty days a year. Sure, I had to pay for it and sure, she can't exactly call me a friend but progress is progress and Cassidy is actually a good teacher and my grades have never been better.
But I'm out of time and it's literally now or never so I'm never letting go of her until--well-- until we become more than what we are now.
Some of her hair broke from her braid as I spun her. The dark strands framing her pretty face, some of them getting stuck to the light gloss on her lips. Like lines I want to follow. The motion made her blush, the pink settling on the apples of her cheeks. I want to say that it's all me but I have to add vertigo to the equation. Look at me, using the word 'equation' in a sentence. Blame it all on the Cassidy Effect.
Her head only reached my chest when we are standing side by side, so if by any chance she has super hearing, she'll be hearing by heart jumping out of my chest on it's way to her. I still didn't let go of her hand as I grabbed my bag, the little picnic safely tucked inside.
I can feel her hand stiffen in mine, getting colder and farther away again as the blush on her face disappeared. Boys, the siege is up again.
"Mark, I really have to go. The school is going to close and I don't want to get locked in here before grad--"
I stopped her words by pulling out the keys to the school out of my pocket. Her bright green eyes widened. "Did you steal those?"
"No, why steal what can be bribed. Duh," I laughed, trying to put an arm over her shoulder. "Come on."
But she pulled away, two steps away. Planet Cassidy in her own orbit again. "Typical rich boy, buying your way into everything. The senior prank is done and gone. If you want to get in trouble as your last hoorah then you can leave me out."
Shit. She got the wrong idea. Again! I knew that I should have attended those communication classes instead of sports camp back in seventh grade but here we are. Here we fucking are.
I walked briskly to match her pace and my longer strides caught me up to her in no time. She was already outside the library when I got to her. "Hey, Sid."
Oh, fuck. I just called her by her nickname. Only her best friend only ever calls her that. Maybe she will think that I'm mocking her again.
"Goodbye, Mark," she didn't even look my way, the braid that reached her waist swinging as she walked away.
Cold sweat broke out my back. The same sensation that I have when I'm in the middle of the field looking for one of my teammates, someone to throw the ball to. Now, the opposing team has got me tackled to the ground and the buzzer lights up to show that the other team just scored. Every conversation with Cassidy feels high stakes. Especially this one. It could be our last. It always feels like it could last.
Because what can I offer a girl who can get any other guy she wants if she started wanting them? At this point, I'm not even sure if she's into guys.
