99 Steps

Step 35: Stand Still

Jack wanted to run and scream and cry and laugh and fly, but he didn't even want to get out of bed. Mark, however - always with his plans to try and make the Irishman live a better life - said they were going to the park to take pictures. Perhaps it was better phrased that Jack was going to take pictures, Mark was going to be there for some sort of support.

"Come on, we're going to be late!" Mark shoved Jack's bedroom door open, crossing his arms over his chest when he saw the green haired teen still in bed. "I told you to get up nearly an hour ago."

"Good thing it's a public park then, ya'know, one you don't need a reservation to get into." Jack blinked and looked at Mark.

"I wanted to meet with Ash and Alice anyways, so if we don't get to the park soon it's going to have to wait until after we eat."

"What's with you and them?" Jack sat up, mentally debating on weather he was looking forward to a meal at his now favorite diner, or not.

"Alice and Ash?" Jack nodded. "They're my friends, I thought you didn't mind them?"

"I guess not so much me disliking them, I feel like there's enough hate towards me to start another world war," he shrugged. "I just feel like Alice never notices me and Ash, I feel like Ash looks at me but they only stare to be rude."

"Jack, baby boy, it's your insecurities. That I can promise you, and in their defense, you do tend to zone out a bit when everyone is eating. They like you, okay? And I just want you to know how proud I am of you for how far you've come." Mark sat down on the bed, "I mean when you first said it was 'everything', my heart shattered into a billion pieces, and honestly I was not looking forward to working with you. Hell, I was so overwhelmed with some kind of pride or joy when you just dumped your drugs in the trash like that, and I mean your drinking, there's been a few bad times but that's okay. I love you so much."

Jack smiled, but a little part of him felt that it was a bit strange that Mark was suddenly praising him for so much. "You're not just saying that because..." He started to speak his mind, and ask if he was trying to make Jack forget about the fact that he beat him, but he stopped himself: they weren't going to talk about that night anymore.

"Because... what?" Mark looked at Jack, who was looking at the blankets.

"Nothing, never mind. I'll get dressed right now and we can go."

Now, in the park, Jack was still thinking about everything Mark had done to him. He didn't have it nearly as bad as many people who's mate beats them; Mark only snapped on him twice, once mentally, once physically.

"Hey guys!" Jack turned around and recognized Ash and Alice standing together, along with a man he never met before. Looking to Mark, he saw that his boyfriend obviously knew all three of these people. Mark looked shocked as he stepped in to give the give the man in a sweatshirt and jean vest a hug.

"Mark, man it's been forever. How have you been?" Jack just looked away, feeling out of place and akward. He saw a girl and a boy walking down the path, away from the group of five. Quickly, he held his camera up to his face, and snapped a picture. Hopefully they didn't mind, but he wasn't going to go out of his way to find out. Jack looked around some more, trying to find other things to entertain himself with.

"And my boyfriend, Jack," He paused when he heard his name. Jack didn't turn around but he did listen.

"How did you two meet?" Jack flinched, hoping his so called beloved boyfriend wouldn't spill all of his problems to one of his long lost friends.

"The place I work at, his mother sent him in, all kinds of messed up. We've been working through it together though." Jack closed his eyes and dropped his head down. "Aren't we Jack?" Mark must have turned around, because he was looking at Jack with a questioning look when he started walking back to the others.

"This is Jack," Mark paused smiling at him, "Jack, this is Delsin. We kinda grew up together."

"Kinda? We lived next to each other for like 10 years." Delsin smiled, nudging Alice, "I befriended this pretty little lady before she moved here. Once I figured out both you guys were hanging out I figured I should stay here for a while." Jack noticed the look Ash gave Delsin when he was talking about Alice, and he slowly noticed a slightly awkward silence between everyone.

"So," Mark cleared his throat. "How long are you gonna be in town for?" To which the other responded, "I don't know, maybe a week, maybe a month. I guess it depends on how big of a welcome party I'm thrown." The three laughed, and Jack looked at Ash, who seemed like they felt like leaving.

"Well, should we head over to the diner? Are you two done here?" Alice looked at Mark and Jack, who nodded.

To him, it seemed like there was some kind of strange history between Ash, Alice, and Delsin, but he wasn't going to push any questions. Instead he held his shy demeanor through the meal and on the car ride home. Mark didn't seem to notice, or he just didn't bring it up, that is until the two were sitting in nearly complete silence in the living room.

"What's up?"

"Oh, ya'know, just trying to figure out what I think about my boyfriend's friends and such."

"It's D, isn't it?"

"I don't know, Ash seemed kind of out of place the whole time, and don't even get me started on how forced the way Alice was acting seemed." Mark just sighed, and shook his head.

"I know it may seem like something happened between them, but trust me, it wasn't anything like what you may be thinking. Alice and Ash were with Delsin and his brother, and they got into a bad accident. Unfortunately, his brother didn't make it and-"

"Ash was driving?" Mark nodded. "He blamed them for it for the longest time. I don't think the two ever worked it out. Alice got all defensive for Ash, because it wasn't their fault, a drunk driver hit them."

Jack looked away, trying to piece it all together in his head. With every new person he met, there seemed to be another twist on how the world works, and how everyone lives their life. Maybe with every new person met, it was another variable in the the end of his story.

I really stopped caring about editing everything a while ago so sorry about that and all the (probably) mistakes. Also I have no idea how this is going to end up so there's that. (Maybe if I keep adding characters and plot twists, the whole book with just explode and disappear from the internet forever.)
/edit/ I forgot to add a song for this chapter sorry i couldn't think of one but I found one and it doesn't really fit but I'm thinking abt just making a big playlist and I'll add a link to it somehow for all the songs, maybe on youtube or spotify idk I'll figure it out