SPIDER-MAN: MARK LEE

23

𝟮𝟯: 𝗔𝗦 𝗜𝗙 𝗜𝗧 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗗

Everybody was in Chenle's mansion this evening. And I meant everybody. Chenle invited the entire school, or it seemed like it because each and every room in his residence were cramped with drunk teenagers.

The lounging room had empty bottles laid on the ground that waited for someone to trip over them. I was almost the victim, fortunately I was too sober to notice everything that surrounded me. As for the people in this crowded area, their body had consumed way too much alcohol and I wager that not a single one of them would even remember most of the occurrence in this party tomorrow. Music was blasted to the highest volume in the background, immensely loud to the point that people could hardly hear each other's voices. Some were dancing to the music, some were huddled at the pool table to compete, some just lounged and chatter and of course there were a few who made out with their partners against the wall, devouring each other.

They all partied, as if the incident from yesterday never happened.

Mark and I exchanged looks. We both held the same worried expression on our faces. We felt somewhat out of place.

"Should we go and find Donghyuck and Naomi?" I suggested with a tensed smile, and earned a wordless nod from Mark.

Mark and I proceeded our way through the cramped room. We threw our occasional 'excuse me' and 'sorry' as we bumped into other people. They were all nice and just smiled or laughed it off, or even tried offering us their alcoholic drink but obviously we refused it. I even felt Mark tug my shirt to guide me closer to him, as he feared of me being engulfed in the crowd, but it turned out that he should be the one concerned about that. People did bump their shoulders to him as if he was invisible. On the contrary, the people whom I didn't even know greeted me with smiles and waves.

Mark hastened his pace and caught up with me, his hand on my shoulder to ensure that we wouldn't get separated again. "You know all these people?"

As we ambled next to each other, I shook my head. "No, I don't."

Mark snickered. "Well, you are miss popular girl after all so it wouldn't be a surprise."

I was only known in school because of my father. As I said, my father was a very known man because of the wealth he had worked and struggled hard for. They referred to me as the "rich girl" and that was about it. That was where my popularity came from. Actually, there was one more: I was popular for having Donghyuck as my best friend. They teased and bullied him because apparently he was a mere nerdy nobody, whom didn't appeal next to me. Of course that was all baloney, so I defended him with all my heart.

We searched and searched, until we were stopped, just by the exit of the lounging area by a group of boys.

The Flashers. Well, the douchebags.

Flash stood in front of the door, blocking our way to the exit with a smile on his lips, an evil one. Flash crossed his arms against his chest, his goons behind him copying his actions desperately. "Well well, look who we have here boys. Miss rich girl, and the nerd." His eyes flirtatious on mine, but narrowed on Mark's.

Mark and I didn't utter anything out. We just glared back.

"Who invited you here?" Flash cocked an eyebrow, obviously eyeing the Asian boy. "You're the damn reason why we haven't gotten that trophy yet, because you wanted to prove yourself so bad."

My jaw clenched. "Come on Flash, stop wasting your time on this. Can't you simply enjoy a party, without causing any conflicts?"

"Shut up, Juliane." Said Flash. "I'll deal with Mark first, and then I'll deal with you later in private upstairs-"