Devon has assigned Melissa the most important task of them all during that day: keeping Mark distracted and away from his home, where his surprise birthday party was being organized. The youngest Scout insisted that only Melissa had the power to ask Mark for something and get him to do precisely that (instead of the opposite).
So the aspiring actress abused that skill: she dragged the poor man all over campus over the most ridiculous tasks for her drama classes, then convinced him to give her a ride for some shopping around town, then finally to stop at a bakery so she could pick up a package for Devon, who coincidentally called her on the way (it was the cake, smuggled right under his nose into his own party).
By the time Mark walked over the steps to his own house so Melissa could drop her things with Devon, he was welcomed by the traditional screaming and party popper sounds (including the excited cheer from his friend at his back). The actress-in-the-making turned out to be the first one to hug him and wish a happy birthday (finally putting an end to the charade as to whether she had forgotten about the occasion or not), then getting inside to help Devon set up the cake.
Mark took the time to speak to the other guests then - old college friends, some other people he knew through his sister, a couple of colleagues from his recent teaching position. Melissa found him eventually, grinning wildly and pulling him into another hug before kissing the man on his left cheek and pressing an envelope against his chest upon separation.
"That is my actual birthday gift for you - tickets to a double David Fincher session at the old drive-in. 'Seven' and 'Fight Club' back to back with a lot of popcorn. It's all on me - it starts at midnight," the girl winked, fully aware of what it meant - he would need to ditch his own birthday party, but something told her that Mark would welcome the way out, "I will come steal you half an hour before it," the brunette's hand moved up, pressing a finger to Mark's lips, "Don't tell Devon." // @stingslikeabee
Ever since Devon started her part-time job, she’d made a point to begin spoiling him. Mark now received invitations to join her for dinner (where Devon promised to beat the shit out of him if he pulled his wallet out), no longer gave her gas money, and constantly argued with her over who paid for what when they hung out—a pain in the ass, certainly, but he was glad that his sister was confident enough to assert herself.
When Melissa invited him to go with her on his birthday, he wasn’t totally blind to what that might mean. Last year, Devon’s first birthday treat for him had been a stack of gift cards for his favourite ice cream place in town (and considering it was a Mum ‘n Pop shop that didn’t even make gift cards regularly, Mark knew Devon had to have done something to convince them to do it). And because he knew his sister was competitive enough to enjoy one-upping herself, he was prepared to be suitably surprised with whatever she came up with today. What better distraction was there than the woman Mark had begun daydreaming more regularly about? Devon had teasingly warned him before not to go breaking her best friend’s heart; Mark, refusing to accept his little sister was right about anything, had only wrinkled his nose and said he was innocent.
The hours spent by Melissa’s side really were a gift on their own, though. Most people rued busy days like these, but for Mark (who had gone on leave from his job at the local high school at Devon’s insistence), running around Ganz College again was as nostalgic as it was fun. It took a significant level of intimacy to join someone on their day-to-day goings on; Mark didn’t care that Melissa wasn’t treating him special, not when he felt special to have the whole day with her, just the two of them, to begin with.
Though he recognised Devon’s efforts later to throw him a surprise party, it hadn’t affected him nearly as much as getting to see Melissa with her friends, and colleagues, and simply running errands as a person should. Even as he spoke with people (and he really was grateful they came), in the back of his mind all he could think about was Melissa’s laugh, and Melissa’s hand pulling his arm, and how everyone in the room could fuck off if it meant he could get Melissa to hang out on the couch and watch movies with him.
That said, it made her gift seem like fate.
Their fingers brushed when Mark moved to take the envelope against his chest, just as gentle as her mouth had been on his cheek. Mark didn't have the time to think about that contact, though; the promise of movies for the two of them, alone, made him smile too big, too happy.
"Melissa--" There was a thank you there somewhere, caught in his throat as she stepped away and disappeared back into the bustling living room. Mark watched her go with a question in his chest-- would you go out with me for real?-- but jammed the side of his fist against it in an attempt to push all those words down.
Movies with Melissa didn't have to be any more than what they were, he decided, carefully slipping the envelope into the pocket of his jacket. All that mattered was they were together, and that he'd end his day with her in the same way he started it.
