My Middle School Crush (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 24

(A/N: Listen to the song above (Hold Tight by Sabrina Carpenter in case you can't see it). A total bop. Also, XD = Laughing emojis. Just in case some of your devices have different emoji situations)

Chapter 24: Hold Tight 

Mark and Mason held hands throughout the rest of the class. As time passed, Mason got the feeling that they were becoming less like friends and more like boyfriends. Whether or not that's true, Mason enjoyed every moment of it.

Mark was the first to finish, waiting silently and watching as Mason finished his own work. Mark was glad that he was the first done. It gave him plenty of time to just watch Mason. Mark actually found it quite funny that only within the last few months had he realized how enjoyable that could be. Mason truly was a sight and Mark was lucky enough to be able to take him in.

When Mason was done, he found Mark staring at the side of his head. His cheeks went warm, realizing that a lot of time could have passed with Mark just waiting for him. To distract from this, he began to talk.

"Um, do you want to compare answers?" He asked through a slight stutter, his nerves making an appearance. "There are a couple here that I'm not confident on."

"Sure."

They heard no sign of the class being finished and with others around still scribbling away, the two of them spent more time by comparing answers. It was a bit tricky flipping through pages when they didn't separate hands, but eventually they got all the way down the list.

By that time, a few stragglers were still not finished. They spent the rest of the lesson just talking with their joint hands between them. Mark didn't want to say this outloud, but he was glad others were taking so long. He liked having Mason's wide palm and long fingers keeping his own hand so warm. He liked that it forced them to remain close and was a way for Mark to feel Mason's heartbeat.

"Alright, class is over!" Ms. Adams announced, her voice carrying throughout the room. "You all can go. Good work everyone!"

It was as if they were both woken up from a dream and pulled back into reality. Mason looked down at their joined hands before looking into Mark's eyes. He had to let go now, didn't he? They weren't a couple, no matter how much Mason had convinced himself otherwise, so it wouldn't be okay for them to act like they were. Yet, a part of Mason wanted Mark to disagree. He wanted Mark to come right out and say that they should leave the building like this just because and not care what everyone thinks. He wanted Mark to grip his hand so tight it was impossible for Mason to take his hand back.

But, Mason began to pull his hand out and Mark didn't stop him. The openness in Mark's expression that had been there for their entire lesson was suddenly covered up by a blank face. Mason hated that they were now hiding their connection once again, but he didn't complain.

Mason thought that they wouldn't speak for the rest of the day. Now that they were no longer being so open, he assumed that Mark would want some distance. Mason went to stand up and put his chair away, but was surprised when Mark held his arm to stop him.

"Mason,"

I love you would have been nice to hear, Mason joked to himself.

"Do you want to go out with me tomorrow?"

Mason thought that this was almost as good.

"There is this really cool gelato place in Little Italy that I want to show you." Mark explained, reminding Mason of the awesome Italian area of Toronto. "That is, if you want to come."

Mason wondered why Mark thought he even had to ask.

"Of course I want to come! I love y- Little Italy!" Mason exclaimed, his face going red at his near fatal slip-up. "When do you want to go?"