Your Mark on Me

Chapter 16: Red and Blue

My first kiss was sloppy and clumsy, a collision of mouths which had no idea what they were doing.

Just to make things worse, Roy almost apologised for it. I felt like I'd just kissed a sweet, watery melon, but I planted my lips on his again, mostly to make him shut up and, maybe, to erase the memory of that first kiss by replacing it with a better one.

It didn't work.

I said good bye in the doorway. As he waved at me through the closing crack of the door, I felt like I'd done something really, really stupid.

I'd asked Roy out only minutes after I hung up on Mark. At that time, it seemed like the most appropriate revenge, without realising the futility of my efforts and the selfishness of what I was doing.

Mark wouldn't give a damn. My friendship with Roy was finished.

And all of this, just so that when Mark would ask me how my weekend was, I'd be able to say:

"Not too bad. Something interesting happened."

"Something interesting?" he inquired while pouring out the hot food onto the plates. It was Monday evening and I'd just come over.

"A first."

That seemed to catch his interest because he let the serving spoon drop back into the pan and focused his attention on me. "A first?"

"I've finally had my first kiss", I answered, blushing slightly.

He resumed his activity and I felt disappointed to see he hadn't been very much impressed.

"With whom?"

"A boy from school."

He let out a long 'hmm'. After we sat down, I saw him frown a couple of times, as if thinking something, but not saying it out loud.

"Is that your friend Rob?" he asked, eventually.

"Roy", I corrected him.

"He seems like a nice guy, from what you've been telling me."

I responded that he was, indeed, a nice guy. We ate in silence for a while, until it was my turn to ask:

"What about the necklace lady?"

"What about her?"

I hesitated. He didn't like it when I asked too many questions, but what did I have to lose?

"How was it?"

"Can't say there were any firsts involved. The older you get, the more boring dating becomes. Sort of like playing the same game over and over. It usually ends the same way."

"Was it worth the necklace?"

He stared at me, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. He didn't answer.

***

On Friday, I skipped the last two classes, claiming a headache during biology. I didn't think the school nurse really bought it, but I didn't care. As soon as I received permission to go, I rushed to Mark's house. He was flying to London the following day.

I didn't ring the doorbell, just twisted the knob and pushed the door quietly. I tiptoed towards the kitchen with silent steps, hoping to surprise him.

It was me who gave a cry of surprise when two warm hands covered my eyes.

"Gotcha."

I turned around, laughing, to closely face Mark. His eyes were bright as he smiled and then chuckled, infected with my contagious laughter.