Mark is what?!

I rushed to my parents all blushed and with sweaty palms. They rolled their eyes watching me come over.

"Couldn't you choose something more proper to wear, slut." My mother reminded me why I don't miss home.

"We can't drive you, so Marquel is going to do it for us. We have no time to drive back and forth for you."

I just went to his car and we left.

"Well I guess we will have more time than we thought to talk." He said exited.

I smiled thinking I finally will have someone my age to talk to not someone almost a decade older than me.

We arrived and I showed Mark to my room. There was no awkwardness between us. We sat on the bed and continued talking.

"You know it feels like I'm a middle schooler having my first sleepover." I admitted.

"You've never been or hosted a sleepover?" he looked genuinely concerned.

"If you want me to be completely honest…" I got cut off.

"I really do."

"I was homeschooled and my parents never let me make friends outside of cousins or their friend's children. My cousins never slept over so this feels like a first one."

What shocked me the most was that Mark didn't question any further, he understood me, listened and didn't bother justifying their actions.

"You know what?"

I looked at Mark with furrowed brows.

"Let's have the best, most typical sleepover ever!" He yelled on top of his lungs jumping on the bed. I laughed and joined him.

"We have to start by getting into pajamas, that is the most important step." I got excited and ran to the bathroom to change.

I opened the door dramatically, probably almost breaking it. Mark was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at me, his eyes lit up.

"Yas you go queen!" he exclaimed.

I had no idea what it meant but I took it as a compliment.

Looking at Mark I realized that he had nothing to wear. I decided to go take one of Rhett's pajamas, I was sure he wouldn't mind but as I opened the door I saw a pair laying on the ground at the edge of the door and a note was attached to it.

"I might have overheard you a little, have fun Arthemia."

Signed by Margaret.

I really forgot she was still home, I brought the clothes to Mark and told him about Margaret, he just blushed because before he was yelling and might have woken her up.

"Hell yeah!" I proclaimed as Mark got out to show his fit.

"Now we're ready to party."

"What do we do now?"

"We will start things off by…." He made a long pause, while mimicking playing drums with his fingers. "Doing a makeover."

I looked at him confused out of my mind.

"I'm going to do your makeup and you will do mine."

"We really are middle scholars." I laughed, Mark just shrugged and ran to my vanity.

"For a girl who doesn't wear makeup you sure have a lot of it." He said as he was pulling out my endless drawers of makeup.

"I like to collect things." I sat down.

"Where should we start?" he said hovering over me.

Almost an hour has passed, I have not seen myself yet Mark insisted on covering it.

Without giving me any notice he removed the blanket off the mirror. I couldn't recognize myself.

"That… this looks actually amazing! Are you insane? I can't even recognize myself." For my eyes he did a cut crease with rainbows and a winged liner that perfectly framed my eyes.

"Dumbass, that's the exact point of makeup, not to look like yourself." Mark rolled his eyes laughing.

I just kept on admiring the view in the mirror until I got pushed off the chair.

"My time now." I got up and spanked him on the head.

There was a bit of pressure because of what he did to me. I decided to go for a smokey eye, and bold huge winged liner. I even added false lashes and undid his hair making it a messy Goth look. Just like he did I, without any notice, removed the blanket. He jumped off the chair knocking it down. I just burst into laughter, so did he.

"For reals this looks great, I love the complete opposite of your look, you're good at smoky eyes." I bowed down to him.

"Now a photo-shoot."

"A what?!"

"Do you really think we won't take a pic together like this? It looks amazing. Come here, let's take some pictures."

"It has been seven years! You made over a thousand pictures? You've got to be kidding me." He just laughed.

"Some could turn out bad, no worries I will look over them and send the best ones the next day." We laid for a bit and looked over some pictures.

"Now it's time to relax time. Got any masks?"

I nodded and went into the bathroom, Mark followed. He showed me how to properly take off makeup and we just sat there relaxing with facemasks. Of course Mark had to remember this moment too so he took a million more pictures, but I didn't mind.

When we finished with masks and other self-care we marched to the bed.

"What now?" I yawned asking.

"The last part of a sleepover is talking about crushes and telling each other our secrets. This time you start. This is an open place right now no judgment no secrets just vent to me."

I nodded and thought where should I start.

"I'm not sure where to start so I will just tell random things that I need to get off my chest." Mark nodded making himself comfortable in the bed.

"I have always been feeling neglected and alone my whole life, like I already mentioned I didn't have any friends. My parents…" I paused, processing if I really want to continue, I looked up at Mark, a stern gaze at me, no emotion. "They beat me, for every little mishap. Every time I heard them bickering I braced myself for a beating because I knew my father would come and get his frustration and anger out on me. I'm afraid of them, any little thing and I crumble, now I have become a bit more self-assured and I sometimes don't go along with their name calling or just accusing me for nothing. So I'm actually glad Rhett took me out of there and…" I really didn't know if I should say this, Mark might get offended and leave, but I remembered no secrets and continued. "I like Rhett, like more than like, like we don't get along but at least he treats me with decency and it's not like he's my only option and I'm not choosing him because of some Stockholm syndrome, I feel a genuine connection with him." My eyes started to water, Mark got up and hugged me. I bawled my eyes out for a bit and pushed him away. "Thank you."

Mark nodded and said.

"You don't have to explain your emotions. What you feel is what you feel. If a certain emotion feels right even if your logic tries to differ with it, the emotion is still there and you have to remember it, the emotion is real and you don't need to justify anything."

"I'm sorry if I offended you or made you feel awkward after saying that." I smiled at him nervously.

Mark laughed.

"I guess it's my time to confess." He looked down then slowly back at me, grabbed both of my arms and said.

"I'm gay, Arthemia." my heart fluttered, I felt on cloud nine, I didn't have to make him feel bad, he didn't like me.

I hugged him. "I'm glad you told me this."

We laid down for a bit and Mark fell asleep, it has been a really long day so I tucked him in and went to Rhett's room to sleep. There were plenty of guest rooms I could sleep in but I wanted to just relax in his room. As I walked there I saw Margaret sneaking down the stairs.

"Caught you." I said giggling. "Why aren't you still asleep?"