A friend wanted a good end...
It was a chilled blue December evening, and everyone was cozy warm in their dorms, studying for their finals that was starting tomorrow. Jack sat at his small, cheap desk which faced out the window. His head was buried in his arms, exhausted. He ran his hand through the top of his head out of frustration. ‘Stupid Irish,’ they had said. ‘Can’t even run a hotel,’ they scoffed. Jack shot straight up in his seat. He puffed out his chest, with determination. It’s not that Jack wasn’t trying his hardest; he stayed awake in his classes, took notes, and studied at night. He… just missed Ireland… Jack slumped over his study guide, head in hands.
He glossed across the campus yard through his window, when his eyes stopped in their tracks. His face remained nonchalant as stared at ‘Markie.’ Or whatever the girls called him now. Mark was Jack’s next door dorm mate, and his booming voice matched Jack’s loud voice, making them both a very well known pair - especially when they get into their monthly dorm room verbal fights. Or ’ banters’ rather. A slew of passive aggressive comments.
“HEY!! Erik!!! Did you hear ‘bout the partaaay tonight?!!”
Jack fell out of his chair and hit the ground hard after being severely startled from the booming voice from the dorm halls. “Bloody bastard,” Jack mumbled as he winced and rubbed his shoulder. “Finals are tomorrow…” He must’ve spaced out when Mark left the yard. As he slowly picked himself up, he heard a pounding at the door.
“Garrett!! You there?! Shelia’s party is tonight, you dork!”
Great. Now Jack had to deal with him directly. He took a deep breath and walked the short distance to the door calmly as the pounding continued - he couldn’t get anymore strikes at the dorm, or he’ll be in serious trouble. Jack jerked the the door open, eye to eye with Mark.He attempted a neutral face, but still had an annoyed, half-lidded look at Mark’s presence. Mark widened his eyes at the green man standing in front of him. 'Not Garrett…at all.’ He paused a moment before he gained composure and let out his fangirl-famous mischievous smirk.
“Oh! It’s the small green clover.” Jack blinked. 'Original.’
“Garrett’s not here right now. I think he may’ve already left…”
“WHAT?! With out me?! That little a$$ munch!”
Mark began to storm down the hall way, and Jack slowly shut the door - relieved the whole ordeal was finished without any hitches. But before he could close the door, a hand grabbed the door.
“Aaactually…” Mark, once again was at his door, leaning on it with his stupid smirk.
“What do you want now,” Jack asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
“Why don’t you come to the party?” He flashed his eyebrows up and down.
“Why not?”
“Cause the finals are tomorrow!” Jack’s volume was raising as this situation lasted.
“Jack, buddy, pal, it’s better to let loose are relax before a huge test. And I know you know that, so why not?”
“Because getting sloshed before a test is not going to make me do any better!”
“Isn’t that what you irishmen do, anyways?” Mark began cleaning his fingernails, satisfied that he’s bothering Jack so.
“Isn’t that what your dad did to impregnate your mom?”
Mark’s eyes shot up, ablaze as he stiffened.
“What did you just say?!!” He yelled.
“Ya heard me! Now will please excuse me-”
The pair both paused as their heads shot to one end of the corridor. 'The attendant!!’ With the short amount of time, their vocalizations managed to trigger enough people to call the dorm attendant. “Gotta go!” Mark exclaimed as he grabbed Jack by his thin blue shirt, and ripped him from his dorm. “Come on!!” He began sprinting down the hall, toward the stairs, barely slowing down. Jack, being pulled into this and caught up in the moment, was right on Mark’s heels.
After running for five minutes, they stopped and were both doubled over, panting.
“Oh, Jack,” Mark started, putting his hand on the others back, “I’m glad you could make it!”
“No…” Jack said in misbelieve, as he whipped around to see a lit up house overflowing with various college students. As Jack’s fury grew, the rest of Mark’s gang gathered around to Mark.
“No, no, no. Haha, you followed me here,” Mark explained, acting rather pompous.
“ You got me in trouble back there,” Jack shouted, throwing a hand in the direction of the dorms.
“No- WE got OURSELVES in trouble back there,” Mark pointed a finger. “But hey, hey, hey!! On the bright side, maybe you can find a babe to take back with you.”
Before Jack could retort about how treating women as such is wrong, one of Mark’s friends chucked, “Unless he’s gay~” Of course Mark’s eyes lit up.
"You're a swaying green clover, aren’t you?"
“I mean, a party is good for introverts 'n all, but I don’t know if we can invite him in, bro,” another friend jeered on. “I’m not gay!” Jack’s fists tightly balled up. Mark wrapped his arm around Jack’s shoulders.
“Okay, then prove it to us. Get a woman. Show us your straight-ness.” He poked at his chest.
“Great! Guys let’s get this thing started,” Mark shouted and waved his friends over, but followed behind coolly, with his hands in his pockets. As they got closer to the music, Mark shyly glanced at the glowering green haired man. ’/is/ he gay?… maybe…’ a thoughtful look on his face. But when Jack glanced back, Mark moved his eyes forward.
The group slowly made it through to the house, and trickled into the small doorway. When Jack and Mark were the last to go inside, Mark walked up behind Jack. His chest could feel the heat off the others shoulders as he put his lips near his ear. “You know, I may get a lot of girls, but if you happen to be one of the many who haven’t noticed - I never take them back to my dorm…” Jack stopped in his tracks, causing the following to bump into him. 'No..’ his eyes were wide, and his face cherry red. He shot a small glance behind him and managed to catch sight of a nervous and blushing Mark gazing down with a soft, anxious look. 'What??!! Why is he telling me this??!’
Jack felt his face burning. He started fidgeting- there was no way he could respond, no way out of this. So, naturally, he just said,
“What are ya blabbering on about? What do ya want me ta do with this information, ya weirdo??”
Mark felt his whole body clench up- /why/ did he tell him? Is this what it feels like to be nervous? /why/ was he excited at the thought of him being gay? He quickly shook his head to drive out his confusion.
Still blushing, he forcefully said, “Obviously you can’t take hints, bub. Now move it! We’re missing the party!” He shoved Jack forward, so he could get around him to met up with his friends.Jack let himself be pushed out of the way- anything to get out of the incredibly awkward situation, and watched Mark as he went to his friends.
He stared at Mark from afar as Mark stood with his group of friends. Jack was curious why Mark said those things, and what he meant by them. He scoffed, 'Engineering boys.’ He tried looking around and talking to people, but Jack has a hard time with people and coming out of his shell. 'Unlike Mark.’ He stopped himself. 'Stop thinking about that jerk. But he looks so calm and funny around his friends…NO!’ He scrunched his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows. 'THIS is not allowed. He’s just messing with you. I don’t want to see his punk a$$ face again.’ But, when he opened his eyes, almost magically, Mark stood in front of him, smiling his dorkish smile.
Jack became very aware of how close to the wall he really was when he tried to take a step back, but instead hit the wall. His face reddened as he looked up at Mark.
“N-no! What do ya want with me?”
“I should ask the same from you. You’ve been glaring at me all night. You not having fun?”
Jack cursed himself, getting redder at each sentence. “I’m not gay!” He shouted, without realizing it. Obviously, Mark’s eyes got wide, but he quickly gained composure.
“So THAT’S what you’re thinking about.”
He hovered closer to push Jack’s nervousness… but he was pushing his own, too. “You’re lucky the music is loud.”
“Why are you being like this?! I thought you hated me!”
Jack’s voice kept it’s volume. Mark’s eyes shot to the side, feeling a shot of guilt. “To protect myself,” He almost whispered.
He repeated himself, this time looking Jack in the eyes. This time Jack repeated himself out of confusion. Mark sighed and rolled his eyes. “How many gay almost-jocks do you know, Jack? And how many of them are not made fun of? And how many of them are actually happy, or have a boyfriend, or are not excluded? Hmmm??”
Jack looked down, a pang of sadness. 'It was true… but..’ He glanced back up, “So what gives ya the right to make fun of me? To shout at me?” His voice cracked, partially because he still felt bad for Mark… he convinced himself.
“I-I donno, I jus- I…” Mark rubbed the back of his own head and eyes shooting everywhere, trying to explain himself and clearly failing. “The truth is- I don’t know the 'tango’… I don’t know how to find someone. A-and I don’t want to fall for someone, only to be heartbroken.”
Mark glanced at Jack, hoping to look him in the eyes, only to find him looking at the floor. Jack was sympathetic. It was no different than when a young shy boy likes a girl in his class, and doesn’t think he has a chance. Jack lifted his arms and grabbed Mark. He hugged him /tightly/.
Mark was no different than him, but a bit more abrasive…and he love that. Being surprised Mark was hesitant as his mind went blank, but he come to , and hugged him back. He didn’t want to let the soft, sweet green apple jolly rancher Irishman go. “HA! What are you, ga-ay?” Mark simply looked up and calmly said, “Yes. Yes we are. For each other.”
Jack was internally screaming. 'WHAT THE F#CK DID HE JUST SAY?!?’ But all he could do was chuckle, and think about what to do next as he clung to Mark. 'Ooh, boy. What have I gotten myself into now? The cute bastard.’
