Mark returned to school the following day, and life as he knew it quickly returned to normal, as much as he didn't want it to. Nathan and Nelly didn't tell anybody about their failed mission to bring Axel back, either.
The team resumed everyday training as the final match of the soccer frontier loomed closer and closer. Though Mark's work as a goalkeeper was slightly sloppy, nobody mentioned it, not even the coach. They just silently hoped that he would be able to function slightly better when the match came up.
Or, that Axel would come back, and fix this mess. Nobody even mentioned his name anymore. Because that would be enough to make Mark spiral.
Kevin once made the mistake of complaining about Axel being gone, and Mark left for the rest of the training session. Nathan eventually discovered him crying in the team clubhouse, and his heart broke for Mark. He grew to hate Axel for it, actually.
That Friday, Jude decided to throw a party to lift everybody's spirits, but mainly Mark's, though he didn't say that.
"It'll be fun!"he said. "To boost morale!"
He invited loads of other people from school so that it would be a big party. His adoptive father would be out of town, so it was perfect. The rest of the team could clean up the mess the day after the party, before Jude's father returned.
Jude bought a load of drinks for the occasion. Mark refused to drink though, claiming that it would mess up his performance.
Kevin at least had the courtesy to walk to another room before muttering,"Not as much as Axel,"to avoid upsetting Mark."
There ended up being a very high turnout, because it turned out that a lot of the people at Raimon high were curious about the rich new transfer from Royal high. And who didn't love a party?
Mark sat in the corner, upset. Jude was a lot more than tipsy, making out with some random guy in the corner. Nathan wished that was him, but he knew he'd just imagine that the guy was Mark, so it was no use.
Nelly walked over to Nathan and Mark with an empty beer bottle in one hand, and a random guy in the other. "Let's play spin the bottle!"
"If you want to kiss him, you can,"Nathan shrugged.
"Ugh, no! That's no fun!"she yelled as she grabbed both boys by the collar.
Mark looked at Nathan sympathetically before Nelly sat them down in a circle with a large group of other people.
Nelly handed the bottle to a random girl in the circle. "You go first!"
It landed on another random girl that neither Mark or Nathan knew. The two giggled and quickly kissed.
"Guy with green hair!"one of the girls said, pointing at Nathan. "You next!"
Nathan got up, walked over to the girl and grabbed the bottle. He spun it, and it landed on Nelly. He just kissed her on the cheek and sat back down beside Mark.
"Mark?"Nelly said. "Why don't you go next?"
Mark tried to refuse, but a few of the people in the circle booed him, so he spun the bottle.
Time slowed down. The bottle seemed to be spinning forever. Nathan tensely watched it, hating to see Mark kiss someone else, until the bottle landed on him.
Mark and Nathan both blushed. "Uhh."
"Go on!"Nelly said. "You know the rules."
Mark awkwardly walked over to Nathan, and turned to plant a kiss on his cheek. Before Nathan selfishly turned, and kissed his mouth. With tongue.
He thought it would be magic, but it was awkward, and horrible. Mark didn't stop kissing him, but he was unenthusiastic. Nathan even wrapped his arms around Mark, but Mark didn't do anything to reciprocate the gesture.
Nathan had imagined their first kiss differently. Fireworks inside his brain. Magic. But this was awkward as hell.
Nathan pulled away. "I'm so sorry, Mark."
Mark just looked confused. "Why?"
Nathan couldn't look Mark in the eyes. "I'm sorry. I thought that Axel being gone might change things. I thought you might like me instead."
"Why the fuck would you think that?"
"Because I like you Mark. But I'm sorry I had to tell you like this,"Nathan said, before getting up and leaving.
Mark just sat there, stunned.
"I'm shocked you didn't know, Mark. I just assumed you ignored his advances, because of Axel,"Nelly said.
"Oh, man. And I've been telling him about all the stuff Axel and I do. In detail,"Mark said. "Oh, man."
He tried to get up and run after Nathan, when Nelly grabbed him.
"Don't hate him,"she slurred her words slightly. "I wasn't going to tell you this, because you get so tense whenever he's brought up, but Nathan and I went to find Axel on Monday. Nathan asked him to come back. He told him to come back because he hates seeing you miserable so much. He doesn't love you in a selfish way, promise."
"You saw... Axel?"
"He said he wasn't coming back. I tried, Mark. I grabbed him so hard his uncle had to pull him off of me,"Nelly giggled. "We tried. We all love you, Mark."
"What's the address?"
"You sure you wanna know? Didn't he say he doesn't wanna contact you?"
"I want to try myself."
"I'll send you my driver tomorrow morning. Just text me. Or call. I'll answer if it's you, Markie poo."
"Yuck. Never call me that again!"Mark said, his face screwing up in disgust.
Nelly just laughed. "Honest! Love you though. Just call if you need my driver. I know you're too poor to afford your own."
Mark tried not to be offended as he knew this was Nelly at her nicest. He said goodbye to her and began to run after Nathan, though he didn't get far. He was only on Jude's front porch.
"Hey,"said Mark quietly.
"You probably hate me."
"I don't,"said Mark. "Nelly told me what you two did. You tried to get him back for me."
"Oh,"Nathan said, blushing."
"You should've told me earlier. I would've stopped talking about him as much."
"But it made you happy. I love when you're happy. It kills me to see you like this, Mark,"Nathan said in a pained tone,"I really tried, Mark. I even told Axel that I liked you."
Mark had a small smile on his face. "And what did he say?"
"I'm not going to tell you that."
"Worth a try,"Mark shrugged. "This doesn't change anything for me, Nathan, you know."
"You're just too nice, Mark. Axel is lucky to have you."
Mark just stared at his shoes. "Nelly's lending me her driver. I'm going to see Axel tomorrow."
"Oh, god."
"Do you think it's a good idea?"
"If it'll make you happy,"Nathan said.
"So it's stupid."
Nathan laughed. "No. Only you can know if this is right for you. Just call me to tell me how it goes, ok?"
"Are you ok with that?"
Nathan paused for a second before smiling and saying,"Yes."