Perfect love

Are You Mad?

"What's up with you guys?" Mark asks as I drag him through the school gates.

"Did something happen?"

I try to ignore him but suddenly I can't pull him anymore.

"Look, there's clearly something between you two. I don't know what it is but I don't wanna throw myself into the unknown. So tell me what I'm supposed to do. Do I defend him? Do I protect you? Do I stay out of your way? Tell me," he demands, crossing his arms.

"I don't know Mark. I don't even know what's going on with him so I have no idea of how to deal with it. So just come with me, okay?" I ask, my voice going soft as I cover my hands with the sleeves.

He relaxes a bit and takes a few step towards me.

"Okay."

___________________

We just walk around the city in a comfortable silence.

Even though shops are open we would probably be told to go back to school so we just eat our pack lunch in a park.

It's already afternoon and it's getting pretty hot under the sun.

"Jude didn't do anything," I say.

"Huh?" he turns to me, surprised that I brought the up topic.

"Not yet anyway."

"So what's the problem? Why did you provoke him like that?" he asks, guiding me into the cool shade of an alley.

"I didn't provoke him."

"Yeah, you did. By going with me."

"I didn't mean it like that-"

"I know you didn't but you did, and the thing is, you also provoked me," he says and without warning he backs me up against the alley wall.

His hands are on the wall at either side of my waist, creating a loose cage.

His hair falls over his bandana onto his eyes, but he doesn't seem to mind.

What the fuck is going on.

How did it go from a friendly stroll to this?

Hell if I know.

"Mark..."

"You should be careful with what you do... Or say," he inches closer, his lips barely centimeters away from mine before pushing himself off the wall.

"Let's go eat something," he says, so casually.

______________________

After buying something from a store, we walk back to school.

"Aren't you going to be late for practice?" I ask.

"I sent you a message, remember? Coach is sick, so he called practice off."

"A message?"

"Yeah, you even read it."

"No, no. My dad took my phone Friday afternoon. I didn't read it," I say.

"Oh. Well, I just told you that we could study this afternoon, does that sound good?"

"Ye-"

"No."

I turn and basically run into Jude.

He should be smaller.

It's not fair.

Okay, he's not ginormous, but he's taller than me.