"Fuck, This had been one hell of a week." I whined plopping onto Marcus's bed.
"That bad, huh?"
"Yeah, since I actually have been going to school and not sitting on my ass reading comics all day."
"Hey! I do other things too." Marcus defended himself. He threw the comic aside sitting up. I did the same leaning against his headboard. He got off his bed and turned his console on. I gladly accepted my designated controller.
The weekend is finally here and the best part... I get to relax. Actually, relax, no going over to the Davenport's, no bickering from dad and Douglas, no helping out their 'evil' schemes. Just relaxing with Marcus and hopefully Tony.
Tony hasn't talked to me since yesterday. He's distant now which is fully understandable. Just something feels off. It might be all in my head but I can't shake this feeling, like he's not telling me something.
"Ren?"
I felt a soft touch in my shoulder bringing me back from my thoughts. Marcus looked at me with concern laced all over his face.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah?" Marcus mocked, "I've been calling your name for awhile. What were you thinking about?"
"It's nothing to worry about." I said, clicking the buttons on the controller. I paused and looked at him, "Did you call me Ren...?"
"Don't change the topic. Is this about yesterday? With your dad?"
I shook my head meeting his eyes and smiled, "Don't worry. I was spacing out like I always do."
He wasn't convinced but didn't bring it up which I was grateful for. He carried on pretending like there was not a single bad thing happening in the world, which again, super grateful for.
"Soooo" Marcus turned his head slightly, not taking his eyes off the screen. "You did call me Ren. New nickname you came up with?"
Marcus grinned, "FIgured you needed a new one. Especially after the one you decided to give me" He sneered at the mention of the nickname I gave him not too long ago.
I chuckled, "You mean Markie. I thought you liked the name."
He gave me a dirty look that unleashed another set of giggles out of me. It's fun messing with him.
For the past hour we laughed, joked, and did absolutely anything to keep our minds from drifting to the undesired situations that had happened within these few months. Obviously they affected me more than Marcus, but I appreciated his selflessness of changing topics when anything remotely reminded me of them. Although it didn't stop him from bringing up something I wish he had forgotten.
"So, I never got to hear the whole story with you and Chase." Marcus said.
"What?"
It caught me off guard, I mean one minute I'm beating him in Super Smash Bros and the next he's asking about Chase and I. So acting clueless it is.
"Remember the time he thought he 'figure' out your secret. What did he think it was?"
"O-oh that, Uh, well basically he, uh..."
"Are you... flustered?" Marcus teased. He arched his brow with his irritating shit eating grin. This bitch knew.
I took a deep breath, "Chase thought I had a crush on you."
"I knew it." Marcus laughed. I tilted my head. That's not how I imagined Marcus to react.
"I've noticed small details in Chase's behavior around you. And if I'm not mistaken, I believe Chase has a little crush on you." Marcus said. I narrowed my eyes getting up from his bed.
"Him? A crush on me?" I scoffed. "Yeah, no, I highly doubt that."
Marcus got up and walked towards me crossing his arms.
"Sweetheart, you can read Chase like an open book. He totally has a crush on you." Marcus repeated. "Question is... Do you return those feelings?"
That question struck something within me. Do I? If you were to tell me this a few months back I probably would've said yes. Hearing it now, it just sounds weird. I haven't thought about my feelings for him in a long time. To be exact, I haven't thought about it since I met Marcus. Betraying him was a factor in those feelings faltering. I guess my guilt ate away any feeling I had left for him.
"No?"
"Are you answering or asking?" Marcus taunted. I swear I saw a flicker of jealousy. Though, it could be teasing. Yeah, he's definitely teasing me. Marcus having romantic feelings? That's not likely.
"To be honest, I did have a crush on him. But that was months ago. I don't have any romantic feelings towards him as of right now." I confidently said. Even though I haven't thought about him that way, I can certainly say my feelings for him are platonic. I just can't see myself in a romantic relationship like I used to. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I daydreamed and even dreamt of him once.
"So if I tell Chase that you like someone else or perhaps that you're dating, you wouldn't care?" Marcus challenged.
I shook my head, "I don't have a reason to."
He hummed in acknowledgment. Taking a seat in his comfortable bed I watched him pace around his room. He's stirring up a plan. I know that expression by now. For what? I'm not sure, which is the most terrifying part.
Whatever it was, it can't be good.
‿‿‿‿ ‿‿‿‿ ‿‿‿‿
Calm before the storm.
A well known quote to many. Accurately used before shits about to go down.
In my case, Marcus informed me he had something planned for us. Knowing him and Douglas I'm sure the bionic trio was involved. Maybe another break in. Hopefully not, it's been months since the last time we sneaked in. I'm sure I'm rusty by now and will get us caught.
6:00 p.m
I had thirty minutes left to mentally prepare to betray the Davenport's again. I didn't want to but what other choice do I have?
Dad's gonna be pissed and I'm sure as hell not gonna spend it over at mom's when he has his tantrum.
I sighed while tying my shoes before leaving the house. Tony wished me luck while dad and Douglas were nowhere to be seen. You would think they'll appear to re-explain their plan, guess they're finally trusting us with something.
Unlike any of the past months, Douglas crashed at our place this time. Something about dad having a tool they needed. Marcus rambled on and on about being home alone. Glad, he had a fun night. I was stuck hearing petty bickering and tools. It was such a pain in the ass to fall asleep with the infuriating sound of drills in the background.
When leaving the house I spotted Douglas's boots meaning those two spent all night building.
Typical.
Walking down the street I spotted Marcus waiting for me at the end of the block. Which was weird. Why didn't he meet me at the door? I shrugged it off. He probably didn't want to deal with his dad after having a 'dad free' night yesterday.
"Hi." Marcus greeted.
I greeted him back as we walked down the street together. At this point I had no idea where we're going. We only ever go to the same places together(with the exemption of the froyo place) besides that we only go to school and Davenport's mansion. The rest of the time we're stuck home.
Uneasiness settled in my stomach. It's not 'cause I don't trust Marcus. Hell, I don't even know if it's discomfort that I'm feeling.
We strolled down a couple more houses and stores when we reached an arcade. Bree told me about a new place that opened up. Guess this is it?
"So..." I dragged out. Marcus flicked his gaze to me. "Why are we here?"
He beamed, "Well, a lot has happened and I want to take things off your mind."
Huh. We aren't scheming against the bionic trio. Weird. Don't get me wrong I appreciate the thought but it's not something Marcus would do.
"Come on." Marcus led me inside the brightly lit arcade. It's definitely something you don't see nowadays. It had a retro vibe with neon light and swirled carpet. It's like a trip back to the 80s. I wouldn't be surprised if someone walked in with a mullet rockin' a denim vest jacket.
When stepping inside I was already scanning the room taking in the refreshing scenery. I softly gasped as my view landed on my all time favorite game.
I parted from Marcus and immediately headed to the machine.
"Galaga?"
I looked over my shoulder watching Marcus judge the game.
"Yeah. One of the best games out there?"
"Looks easy."
"Okay then, if it's so easy, how about a little wager?" I challenged. Marcus smirked, taking my hand sealing the deal.
—————————
Unlike other times...
I won.
And we agreed that the loser would buy whatever the other person wanted. I already had my purchase in mine. While walking to the arcade we passed by a skating shop. On display was a badass lookin' skateboard. I figured since Marcus knows how to use one now, why not buy a matching set.
While waiting I scanned over the material the store had to offer. I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw Marcus. I beamed seeing the two newly bought boards.
Ugh, I'm so glad these are set up already. I want to ride this immediately.
"Come on, our day isn't over."
"Did you plan more?" Curiosity took over. Hanging out in an arcade seemed like the perfect day but apparently there's more.
"Yeah. A full day of fun. No work or stress." Marcus smiled. He set his boards down—I did the same, and we skated to our next destination. I was behind him letting him lead the way. It was a lot more fun this way. We would occasionally bump into each other seeing who can knock over the other first. Was it stupid and dangerous ? Yes, but we don't care.
We were lucky there weren't a lot of people or cars out. Which could be because it was beginning to darken. Marcus and I spent over two hours playing Galaga. We played round after round, too stubborn to let one another win.
We'd finally reach the place after ten minutes of strolling down the road on our boards. I slowed down my pace next to Marcus taking in the sunset. It's been a while since I've seen one. It took me back to my old days. Which are more like a few years ago. After every scheme my old friends and I did, it would be near sunset. We would stop and observe the sun go down, taking its last sliver of light with it.
Marcus had joined me standing by my side at this point. I took a deep breath feeling at ease watching the small piece of sun left set, letting the cool night unfold. Ready for another 12 hours of motionless time pass by until the cycle repeat.
The warm hues had vanished. The night has begun.
Watching the sunset was always calming for me. I've tried to watch the sunrise but getting up early in the morning was too much. No matter how much I enjoy watching the pretty colors I don't plan on ever willingly waking up early. And because of that, I prefer to see sunsets.
"Nothing's more beautiful than that." I sighed.
"I could think of something more beautiful." Marcus softly spoke.
I took a glimpse at Marcus. He still had his gaze fixed on where the sun had gone down.
He slowly looked at me and I returned my gaze to him. I observed him, curiosity taking over again. The streetlight had turned on making it easy to pick up on his movement. He grinned at me slightly before taking my hand interwinding them.
He tenderly tugged on my hand guiding me to our next spot. I smiled seeing a small park not too far. We stopped and sat on the swings placing our new boards next to us.
We didn't say anything letting the gentle wind brush past our ears creating a strangely comforting sensation. The cool wind filling our noses letting that fall air engulf us. The soft whispers of the night set a peaceful setting. I swayed back and forth on the swing taking in the lit scenery in front of us.
Before coming to mission creek, nighttime was a time of fear. My friends and I have to always watch our backs and never stay out till midnight. It was an unspoken rule of the community for young kids. I never got to really take in the night's beauty at that time. Before my 'rebellious' days, it used to be my favorite time. Everything is still and quiet.
I'm grateful for Marcus. He reintroduced the night to me.
Peace. Something not many can acquire. Today, I almost have a hold on it... it's just— there is something on my mind that isn't letting me cross that line to it. So I voiced out my thoughts hoping things wouldn't turn awkward.
"Is this considered a date?" I asked. Marcus chuckled, beaming so bright the streetlight seemed to dim.
"If you want it to be." He answered. Do I want it to be a date? It sounds nice. A date with Marcus.
I nodded, "I like the sound of that."
"You know, I had this whole thing planned out. We were supposed to go somewhere else but we took longer in the arcade than I expected."
"Sorry I cut down on your time." I apologized. Feeling slight guilt but mostly admiration. He spent his time thinking things over for today. It's a sweet gesture. But I did take away time from his plans over something petty. I thought lowly of him for not believing he was capable of doing something like this. Lastly, I originally thought we were going to scheme something against the Davenport's and I was wrong. Very wrong.
"There's no reason for you to apologize. Today went better than I could've imagined. Besides, there is always next time." Marcus reassured me.
I nodded. I awaited peace to take over but there was still something else my mind wandered off to.
"How did Douglas agree to this?" I asked.
"It took some convincing but I got him to say yes."
Just when I thought I had it something else popped up.
"I am so grateful for today but why go through all this trouble?" I asked again. I slightly shifted my body to face him in the swing. My knees faced him as I put all my attention to him. I had an inkling as to what motivated him to do this. I need to hear him admit it to not feel so self-absorbed. There was always that chance of being wrong and have misread the whole thing.
"Cause..." He began. He licked his lips, seeming nervous. "...I like you. It's crazy, I know, but after some time— I developed this strange feeling. I started seeing you differently..."
"You mean you stopped seeing me as a threat and the urge to kill me stopped?" I commented. I haven't forgotten our first encounter. He nearly killed me then and saw me with distrust in his eyes.
"I wasn't going to kill you. I was being cautious." Marcus smirked. I chuckled and he shook his head. The smirked slowly turned to a soft smile. "Anyways, at first I thought it was just curiosity. All of this is new and I was worried, scared at the foreign feeling. I wanted to be near you, get to know you, protect you. I was a jerk to you those first few days and I'm sorry... I see now, I was trying to distance myself to stop any emotional connection to you." Marcus let out a breathy laugh. He ran a hand through his hair locking eyes with me. "Guess I just couldn't resist you."
'Guess I just couldn't resist you.' What the fuck?!! How—How am I supposed to recover from that?! My mind can't handle stuff like this. After what felt like hours of letting my mind somewhat settle which was really a few seconds I responded.
"I, uh, I also... have f-feelings for you." I stuttered. I would say I was flustered but that would be a huge, huge understatement. Never in a million years would I've imagined a guy liking me. Even if he's not a real 'guy' and is actually an android, he likes me and not just as a friend. I made him develop feelings which has to be some Disney love type of shit. He's not supposed to feel anything besides whatever Douglas programmed. Yet, I managed to make him see me in a romantic way.
Huh, I'm really pulling a Wanda Maximoff right now.
"You like me back?" Marcus questioned. I couldn't help but to giggle at his reaction. It's honestly not much of a shock if you think about it. Who wouldn't end up falling for him?
"Yeah. I wasn't clear on my feelings till recently. But once it became apparent I realized just how much I truly like you."
Marcus' smile grew, resulting in him turning away ever so slightly. It's quite adorable.
"Good to know you feel the same." He confessed. He stood up from the swing looking down at his phone. "We should head back. It's getting late."
I checked my phone and saw it read 10:13. I nodded pushing myself for one last swing before getting off. Marcus chuckled and stretched a hand out for me. I gingerly gasped it feeling my face heat up. Having the knowledge of him reciprocating those feelings made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
He held onto my hand gazing at me. He brought up his other hand softly caressing my cheek. He started closing the small space between us. I tilt my head anticipating his next move. My heart pounded wildly. I'm certain he was able to hear it.
His lips hovered over mine brushing against them. One move. That's all it took to seal our lips together. So...
I took it. I closed off the remaining space. His lips molded perfectly to mine. My free hand made its way to the side of his neck deepening the kiss. I savored the intense yet tender sensation.
Definitely a kiss to remember. And not just because it was my first kisss...
But because it was with him.
________________________________
Word count: 3106
A/n: happy thanksgiving for those who celebrate it and for those who don't, I hope you're having a great day/night.