✧･ﾟGlitter･ﾟ✧ Elder Mark x Reader (Craig of the Creek cotc)

Chapter 2

You turn your house key in the lock slowly and push your front door open as gently as you could, hoping to avoid making even a single noise. You poke your head through the small opening and slip into the darkness of your home before closing the door behind you: it makes a loud "CLICK" and you hold your breath, praying that the next sound you hear isn't that of an angry parent.

You exhale in relief when the house remains quiet before toeing off your shoes and starting towards the staircase.

You make it to the foot of the steps when a light being turned on next to you nearly makes you jump out of your skin: you gasp loudly and rest both your hands over your pounding heart. Your mom is standing next to the light switch, the fixture illuminating her tired face: she has a smear of paint – or is it clay? – across her cheekbone.

"Holy hell, mom! Why are you lurking in the dark like a goddamned gargoyle?!" You whisper yell, your hands still pressed against your chest.

Your mom shushes you, her finger across her lips in a "be quiet" gesture. She speaks calmly, "Why are you home so late?" Her face is not the only thing covered in art supplies: some of the paint on her coveralls looks fresh.

You eye her up and down, and raise an eyebrow, "Were you working until just now?"

Your mother tuts, "I'm asking the questions." She cups your face, "I'm not upset, we trust you. Just need to know you're safe and you haven't gotten your hand crushed by that rock you always hang out around," she smiles softly.

You sigh, "Got caught up playing video games, that's all."

Your mother chuckles, removing her hand from your cheek, "Good to know at least three other kids will be absolutely exhausted tomorrow."

Your breath gets caught in your throat, "Just one other kid, actually," you scratch the side of your neck, looking up at your mom through your lashes.

She rolls her eyes but her smile stays the same, "Go to bed. You can regret playing video games with Mark until late at night while you're at school tomorrow."

You roll your eyes as you make your way up the steps, "What's one night with a little less rest? I'll be fine."

- - - - - - -

Mark stood at the entrance of the school cafeteria, his lunch bag hanging from his fingertips, scanning the room for a familiar face. He looked around the room, searching for you.

There were only a handful of places you could be: Mark glances at Courtney and Tabitha before quickly averting his gaze from the girls who were... not eating lunch. He couldn't see you at the Elders' regular spot. He remembered you had brought your own food to school, so you wouldn't be standing in the lunch line.

Barry had mentioned something about an extracurricular during lunch period, and if you were not in the cafeteria, then Mark saw no point in sticking around in a room that smelled of microwavable frozen pasta.

He didn't want to eat alone and eating in the toilet was definitely out of the question.

Mark slipped his phone out of his pocket: no messages from you, no clues as to where you could be. His thumbs slid across the screen as he typed messages to you.

>where are you dummy

>wtf you're not at lunch?

>I thought it was your favourite subject

>sorry, your BEST subject

He waited a few seconds, hoping to see whatever clever remark you would send back. Mark tapped his foot in impatience, pulled his screen downward with both his thumbs in a continuous motion, refreshing the page as fast as possible and lifting his phone as if trying to get better reception: nothing.