Would You Run? Crankiplier high school AU

Chapter 17

Fucking what?

I think Mark saw the confusion and surprise on my face so he quickly continued his sentence.

"I mean we have to keep studying, right? There's no way I'm gonna let you fail."

"You're kidding right?" I asked, finally breaking the 'we just met and you've never made me cry and you didn't see those shirtless drawings of you' facade.

He didn't respond, but his demeanor changed. He looked timid and small, something I don't think I've ever seen before.

"Mark, you fucking-" I cut myself off before I could continue. He's my new tutor and there's nothing either of us can do to change that at the moment. I don't want there to be more drama than there already is.

He looked like he was about to inquire, but decided not to. I took a second to collect my thoughts and just breathe before finally saying "okay. We can go back to your house."

Entering his home felt so strange. It felt both like visiting an old friend and going to an acquaintances house for the first time.

I could hear the clicking of a video game controller from the livingroom.

"Tom?" Mark called out.

"Yeah?" he responded.

Mark took off his sweatshirt as he walked to closer to Tom, peeking into the room. "Mom said you weren't home."

Tom stayed silent, probably just shrugging his shoulders and continuing on with his game.

"Did you feed Chica?" he asked, to which Tom replied "of course."

I cut through the livingroom to follow Mark up the stairs. We passed his brother and to my surprise, he spoke to me.

"Hi Ethan," he said, nonchalantly. He remembered my name...

I waved back with a smile before remembering that he can't see me and spoke up. "hello," I said timidly.

As soon as the word left my mouth I heard the sound of four paws pitter-pattering down the carpeted staircase.

"Chica!" I exclaimed.

She ran to me, whimpering and crying happily. She wouldn't stop spinning in circles and rubbing up against my legs, asking me to pet her. It hurt my heart a little bit, but made me smile widely nonetheless.

"She missed you," Tom said with a small laugh.

"Yeah I guess so," I said, petting her head as she slid onto her back, trying to get me to rub her tummy.

"Come on girl, lets go upstairs."

Chica and I raced upstairs, (she won,) and she jumped onto Marks bed. When I didn't follow, she jumped off and then on again, trying to show me how to do it. She paid no attention to Mark as she laid down on her back, spread her legs and stared at me.

"Oh Chica," Mark said, putting on a joking surprised, sensual voice. I couldn't help but smile. "Close your legs," he told her to which she didn't listen, just looking up at him while I rubbed her tummy.

"Okay," I said, patting her chest and then leaning down to grab my backpack. Chica started crying at the loss of my touch.

"Oh relax," said Mark, scooping her up in his arms with ease and carrying her down the stairs and what I could only assume was into the livingroom. 

When he returned, he closed the door behind him to prevent her from entering again and saw me waiting patiently staring at my hands.

"Okay," he said, plopping down onto the bed next to me. "So the whole thing about this," he started.

When he said that my heart dropped. I deserve an explanation and now I'm finally getting one. He can't just invite me over his house like it's nothing, even if it is for good reason. He and his friends humiliated me and now what? We're just fine?

"Is that looking for the missing angles in the other triangles is impossible without being given any other information about said triangle."

Oh.. the whole thing about that.

"And this doesn't work for everyone, but I like to think of it in a less intimidating way," he said, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling for a minute.

"Okay," he said, turning to me. "It's kinda like people."

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him with tired, bored eyes.

"Hear me out," he said. His eyes did the thing again. The thing where they shine and you can't help but stare and it makes you fall just a little bit in love.

"It's kind of like people. Some people reveal a lot about themself upfront. They're easy to get to know. And other people you kinda have to work to get to know them, but in the end you'll always have your answer if you try hard enough."

Fuck.

I can't do this. I can't be here with him I just can't. Not when he says shit like that.

I nodded in response, furrowing my eyebrows in pretend confusion.

"So," I said, taking out my folder with my paper in it, trying my very best to remember all the reasons that I'm supposed to be angry with him and failing. "Can you help me with number six please?"

After a very disappointing, boring hour at his house, I finally understood the math.

"Okay," I said, letting out a huff of air. "Wanna check my work?"

He nodded eagerly and took the paper from me, scanning over each question quickly. His smile grew wider as he read each correct answer. When he got to the end of the page he wrote a "100" and a smiley face in the corner.

"Good job, Ethan!" He said as he gave the paper to me. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Thank you," I said happily, locking eyes with him for a moment before tucking the folder back into my backpack.

Mark just nodded in response. "What time is it?" He asked to himself while pulling out his phone.

As he did so, I took a second to scan the room. Everything seemed the same, but it was a bit messier than last time. The same posters on the wall, same pictures in their frames, same bedding, everything. I never thought I'd ever be in this room again, yet here I am, for what I'm certain is the last time.

"It's a little after four, do you need a lift home?" He asked.

"Yes," I lied. I don't know why I didn't tell the truth, I'd asked my mom to pick me up at 4:30.

"No problem," Mark said with a smile.

As we walked downstairs together I took out my phone and texted my mom to tell her that I no longer need a ride home.

Mark and I didn't speak on the drive from his house to mine, but I almost did to tell him that he missed a turn. I decided to pretend I didn't notice and let him figure it out on his own.

When he was singing along to a random song on the radio I almost smiled, but I caught myself. I frowned a bit instead at the fact that his voice made me want to do anything but frown. I should hate him.

But how can I hate someone who's let me use their lavender-ocean-minty shampoo and sleep in their bed while they take the couch and who has one of the worlds best dogs? No matter how much of a dick he is now, he sheltered me and fed me clothed me when I needed his help. How could I possibly think lowly of someone who's done that for me?

I wish this was easier. I just wish I knew how to hate him.

A/N: ayeee I wrote this at work on my half lol
1292 words
I'm
Not
Ready
For
Unus
Annus
To
Fucking
End
K thanks bye
(And thank you a fucking million for all the reads, votes, and ESPECIALLY the comments, you guys make my day)