FanFiction

Chapter Three: Mistakes, Mistakes

Mark awoke the next day. Suddenly, he felt better. He no longer awoke shaking from the strange dream of the night before. No. He understood. And with that understanding came a feeling of... what? Before he felt like he was falling into something. Really, he was falling in love. Now, he stood on firm ground. He WAS in love. Simple as that. And now, he felt solid. But it didn't make things better. He still had a problem: it was Courtney. Courtney Chetwynde, super star, sports goddess, best friend. THAT was his problem. What if he messed this up? He wanted to be with her more than anything. If that meant he was to ignore and forget his newly found feelings for her, he would do it. He KNEW he would. For her, and her alone. But the only question was... is that what she wants?

Mark rolled over.

"Girls are confusing."

"Mark-y? You awake baby?" asked his aunt through the door.

"Yeah," Mark ground.

"Oh!" she said, entering the room, "Well, how was your date last night?"

"Not a date," he said, "And fine. Sort of. Courtney seemed to handle it better than Spader."

"Spader? A friend of yours?"

"Uh..." Mark said. How could he say 'yes' and not have her try to invite him over for tea? "Not really. Uh... C-Courtney's dog."

"They let dogs in the cinema?" she asked, folding socks.

"No. Don't tell."

She laughed and left the room. Mark got dressed for the day and headed off for school. Mark looked to the sky. The clouds were dark. Mark pulled his gray hood over his head, incase of rain.

"Good day class!" the geometry teacher announced, "How are you all today?"

Mark could say 'good' wile being truthful. It was wonderful. He didn't feel alone and scared. He knew. It was in him. The truth. The hope. The golden light. The love only a friend could have for his or her friend. The purest feeling. He knew this in his heart. This was too good not to have that description. Miserable, dark, and alone feelings turned into this in one night. It was beautiful.

"Bye, Mark!" the only member under him in Sci-Clops said (he's new), "Want to walk home together?"

"Nagh!" Mark said, "I've got drama practice! Cat'cha later, though!"

Mark was on top of the world. He ran into the drama classroom. Actually, he skipped. When he saw Courtney he felt he could have kissed her. But that would have been un-cool and too fast.

"Good! Mark! Read from the top please!"

Mark jumped on the stage. He cleared his throat.

"Oh my! My, my! My wonderful... beautiful... perfect Rosealinda! How I love you! Why do you not come to me?"

"My lord," Jacob, a mousy haired boy, said with no enthusiasm, "Come. The ball. I hear the 'bad family' will be there. We must shoo them away like lab rats. Forget Rosealinda. She was a bitch."

"That is not in the script!" Mrs. Antonia chastised.

"It should be."

"No! I do not wish to go to the ball! Not with my broken heart! Oh, how it aches! It is in two! Can't you see me bleed? You do not understand!"

"So what if the slut was good in..."

"NOT! IN! THE! SCRIPT!"

"Oh, whatever!"

"I want my Roselinda! Not some cut throat ball!"

"Please. Romeo. Let's just go. C'mon."

"Fine! But I will have to kill myself or the pain will swallow me whole!"

"Don't speak like that. Let's go."

"Scene Two!" Megan, a perky girl with long, strait blonde hair, said.

"Cheer up, my good Romeo," Jacob said, dryly, "Look at all these lovely ladies."

"I do not care," Mark said dramatically, "No one is as beautiful as my Rosal-"

Mark stopped and stared as Courtney walked up on the stage. All the other girls back away toward the back of the stage. Courtney flipped her hair back.

"Who is the gorgeous creature?" Mark asked as Fanny dimmed the lights and put the spotlight on him, "Who could she be? Such beauty... surely she must be an angel descended from the heavens."

The lights went back to normal. Mark walked up to Courtney.

"My fair, Lady. Would you dace with me?"

"Me?" Courtney asked, looking shocked, "You wish to dance with me? But I do not even know your name."

"'tis Romeo. And you, my lady?"

"Juliet."

"Juliet. That's a beautiful name. To match a beautiful face, of course. If thy angel will bless thee and dance, I would be the happiest man alive."

"Oh, well. I am actually here looking for some people, but... sure. Yes, I will dance with you, Romeo."

"It sends chills up my spine when you say my name."

Courtney took Mark's hand. He spun her around and around. The lights dimmed and Megan announced "Later at the opposing palace!" Mark, Jacob and the other girls ran off the stage.

"My Lady! You have been to the other kingdom! I saw you!"

Mark watched Courtney act out her role. She was good. So good. Mark wondered if Courtney was really meant for him. She was perfect, and should be with a perfect boy.

No, Mark told himself. Courtney wasn't perfect. He had to remember that. He had to remember her faults. She was only human. He couldn't expect too much of that beautiful human being. If he did, it would be based on a faults impression of her. He loved HER, not some imaginary, perfect dream. That was the moment Mark realized the truth; love was a complex mix of give and take with no certainties. What did that mean?

This was going to be hard.

"Mark!" Courtney said when practice was over, "Hey! You were great! We're gonna rock the play! Am I right?!"

"Right," Mark said all calm and cool like. Courtney raised her eyebrows.

"You okay?"

"Yup!" Mark winked, and then re-thought that last detail, "Uh... sorry."

"For what? C'mon!" Courtney said, crossing her arms, "I was wondering when we get our costumes! I wanna see what piece of... well... I can't really say that on school grounds but... you get what I mean! I wanna see that stupid dress! It better not be pink!"

Mark laughed. Courtney basked in the glory of being funny. They walked home together and Mark wondered if that looked weird. But, then again, they've been doing it for who-remembers-how-long. Still, Mark fidgeted.

"Hey, Mark, I was wondering," Courtney said, "Do you really think it's... over?"

"Huh?" Mark asked.

"Do you think IT'S over? I'm really not too sure. It just doesn't FEEL over."

Mark stared at her. What was she talking about? Then, it clicked. She meant the war between the Territories and Saint Dane. Bobby said it was over. Saint Dane and Nevva were trapped on Ibarra. It WAS over.

But Mark had to say, he did have a feeling that had nothing to do with Courtney. It was a feeling of dread. Mark had gotten used to it, but now....

"It's over. I mean, how could Saint Dane get off Ibarra? Bobby blew up the flume."

"I know, but... I just don't... I... This just doesn't feel right!"

Mark watched her. She looked scared. He wished he knew what to say to her.

"Theoretically, if Saint Dane found a way off of Ibarra, we could always inform a Traveler through their acolyte right? And if Saint Dane could do it, so could Bobby. We'd be back in the game."

"But, what if we didn't KNOW Saint Dane got off Ibarra?" Courtney asked.

"Well... for now, let's just pray he died an early death. Alright?"

"Saint Dane can't die."

And with that somber thought, they walked home. Mark waved goodbye to Courtney and he entered his house.

"Aunt Agatha! I'm home!"

"Mark-ie!" his aunt called, rushing up to hug him, "How was school, today?"

"Fine. How were things here?"

"Oh, the usual."

"Is that right? Cleaning, cooking, watching the news and saying how cute that one reporter is?"

"Ten bucks for you not to tell your uncle."

"Deal."

"Deal."

"... Aunt Agatha?"

"Yes?"

"Please let go."

"Oh!" his aunt exclaimed, letting go of him, "I'm sorry!"

"What was that about?" Mark asked.

"Oh! I just feel... bubbly today!" Mark's aunt skipped back into the kitchen. He sat down in his designated seat.

"I've almost got dinner ready. Oh! Where is your uncle? I swear... if he doesn't get home soon..."

"Then what?" called Mark's uncle's voice.

"Rex!" Mark's aunt cried, "Where have you been?"

"I stopped at the grocery store. Here."

Uncle Rex handed Aunt Agatha a bag of potatoes. She tossed them into the refrigerator.

"Well, I've been worried. Mark, don't slouch."

Mark straitened up. Aunt Agatha placed dinner on the table and everyone began eating.

A week later, Mark sat in Biology class taking lots of notes. The teacher, Miss Floresant, turned to the class as the bell rang.

"Now, class. Before you go, we have an announcement. Tomorrow, we will be going on a school fieldtrip. The whole school is participating. We are going to the State National Park. Get your parent or guardian to sign this," she said passing out sheets of paper, "and meet at the front of the school by eleven AM. If you are late, you will not be going."

The class left for their other classes, talking excitedly. Mark saw Courtney up ahead. He resisted the urge to run up behind her and play the guess-who game.

"Hey, Courtney!" he called.

Courtney turned around. She smiled.

"Hey, Mark! How's it goin'?"

"Fine."

"Hey, did you hear? They're having a field trip!" Courtney said, enthusiastically.

"Yeah, sounds cool. You going?" Mark asked.

"If I can get my parents to let me go. I can't wait!"

"Yeah, have you memorized the play?"

"Sort of...."

Mark smiled. The play was fast approaching. They had already had a dress rehearsal. Courtney not only had to wear a dress, but it was fluffy and lacy: two things Mark knew Courtney would never pick out to wear on her own. At least it wasn't pink... for the director's sake.

"You're going to look spiff in that prince costume," Courtney said, winking at him.

Mark blushed. Courtney flinched for some unknown reason. Mark fiddled with his fingers. Courtney looked at her feet.

"So, um," she said, finally, "How's it been?"

"Fine," Mark said.

There was an awkward silence. Mark looked at the other wall. Courtney clapped him on the back and ran.

"Race ya to gym!"

The next day, after an afternoon of persuading his aunt and uncle to let him go on the field trip, Mark stood at the school entrance with the rest of the school.

"Group twenty-nine!"

Mark picked up his bag. He got on the bus with another sixteen kids and teacher. Each teacher was responsible for seventeen kids.

"Can I sit here?" Mark asked a boy who had headphones plugged into his ears, and was reading a magazine.

"Sh-sh-sure!" the boy said, not even looking up. Good. Mark thought if he looked up he wouldn't let Mark sit down.

Mark sat next to him and swung his black bag onto his lap. He pushed his glasses up his nose.

The bus started rolling and they were on their way.

"Hey," the boy said, "Who are you?"

Mark looked at the kid. He had taken the left headphone of his ear in order to hear and he looked Mark in the eyes.

"Uh, Mark Dimond."

"Never heard of ya. I'm James Mayrik. Class 4-D."

"You're a grade ahead of me."

"Sweet."

"What are you reading?" Mark asked.

"Eh, an article on anime in America and an article about how to make a sound activated flash camera thingy. It seems so simple if you've got about fifteen thousand dollars to spare."

"Oh! Uh... not fifteen THOUSAND," Mark said, shrugging.

"Oh! So you've bought a... what IS that word?" James asked.

"Uh..." Mark said looking at the word, "That DID hurt my wallet."

"Haha! I like you Mark Dimond! You're funny!" he held out his hand in a fist, "Pals?"

"Uh... sure... are you going to hit me?" Mark asked, eyeing his fist.

"You're supposed to knock knuckles with me," James said.

"Oh!" Mark said, sheepishly. He bonked his knuckles on James's which hurt, because he wasn't used to doing that.

Mark and James talked about many things on their way to the park: anime, science, books, ect. But eventually, they reached a topic Mark was not comfortable with: girls.

"Yeah, I've got a girlfriend," James said, "She's real cute. S'got wispy, short brown hair. An' sparkly, hazel eyes. She's so nice. You got a girlfriend, Mark?"

"Urm..." Mark said, "N-not r-really...."

"Not really?" James asked, "So you LIKE someone, but you're not their boyfriend? What's that about? She got a boyfriend."

"Well, she kinda has a boyfriend. But they never really went out, and he's got the hots for another girl, and she's now starting to flirt with other guys...."

"Well, I don't think their boyfriend and girlfriend if it's like that. You one of the guys she flirts with?"

"Well, no.... I'm more like... the last guy she'd ever flirt with."

"Hum..." James said, resting his chin on his hand, "Well, since you're cool..." Mark snorted. "I think that must mean she's a friend of yours!"

Mark blushed, "W-Well, um... k-kinda...."

"So she IS a friend! Yes! I got it! Aw! Same with me an' Candy. She's been my bestest friend since pre-school! I asked her out just last year. Is Mystery-Girl cute?"

"Her names Courtney. Yeah, you could say she's cute. She pretty as all-get-out."

"Hum... Oh! Hey! Lookie! We're here!"

Mark looked up. The bus was coming to a stop and the teacher stood up.

"File off the bus in single file! Remember what bus is yours! Your bus number is 7! Have fun, and don't wander into the Red Zone!"

Mark blushed at that. They had learned that the 'Red Zone' was supposed to mean... something un-decent. Last time they were out in such big groups, seven of the older boys snuck into the Red Zone. After that, they were always warned never to go there. Mark didn't think he's have the guts to try.

They were let off the bus and James ran off toward a girl getting off bus number 4. She had wispy brown hair cut into a boy-cut. She was pretty too. That must have been Candy.

Mark was half way to a bench to read a book when he was unable to see anything except darkness.

"Guess who!"

"C-Courtney?" Mark asked.

"Yup!" said Courtney Chetwynde, appearing in front of him. She looked beautiful. Her hair was tied back into a long ponytail. She wore a pink tank-top that revealed her muscular arms. Her jeans had random things written on them: math equations, quotes, upside-down pictures, ect.

"Nice outfit," Mark said, teasingly. Courtney lightly bopped him on the head.

"What's with YOUR outfit?" Courtney asked, pointing to his grey sweater, black slacks, and jean-jacket. It was an odd way to dress, but Mark didn't have much fashion since. Mark blushed, remembering he didn't put a shirt on under the sweater.

"Aw! It's okay, really!" Courtney said, "Not that bad... unlike that old yellow, 'Cool-Dude' sweater."

"Hey! I liked that sweater!" Mark protested. Courtney laughed and put him in a headlock. Mark blushed a deep scarlet.

"Aw! Do I need to take you shopping for un-social-reject clothing?"

"N-no!" Mark said, wishing she would let go.

"Fine, but next time you buy something as stupid as that... haha!" She let go. Mark huffed. Courtney stopped laughing.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked, looking really worried.

"N-no! I'm fine!"

"Oh, in that case... DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT, YOU DORK!" she hit him upside the head. Mark rubbed the back of it laughing.

"So this is, like... what?" she asked, "The most boring thing I've ever done?"

"It's not that bad," Mark said, rubbing his neck.

"It's a park. Nobody goes to the park unless they're forced... like us."

Mark raised an eyebrow. She seemed to forget that they've been to the park as teenagers before. Then again, that was Bobby business.

"Hey! Check that out!" Courtney said.

They spent the next few hours running about and talking about what Bobby would be doing right them. Courtney had come up with a wild story about how he was living it up on Ibarra and how he had probably got a really cool new job and was a millionaire. Mark thought he was probably just doing rebuilding still. Courtney scoffed at this remark and insisted that he was a millionaire. They had drifted off far away from the crowd. So far that they were completely alone when it began to rain. And it REALLY rained.

"I'm soaked!" Courtney said. But she didn't seem concerted. She spun around in the mud. She was laughing her head off. Mark laughed too. He took her by the hand, and tried to hurry her over to the gazebo. He didn't want her to catch a cold. He didn't fancy one either.

"Ha ha!" Courtney laughed. Mark smiled.

They entered the gazebo. Their shoes tacked mud all over it. Courtney was all giggles. Mark took off his jacket.

"Here," he said, wrapping it around her.

Something happened in Mark's brain as he stood there, with Courtney, her wearing his jacket, and holding her at arms length. Something happened to make him do something very, very, very non-Mark.

He kissed her.

Their lips locked into a, not fierce, but passionate kiss. Actually, it was very smooth and soft. It was wonderful; it was amazing; it was the best thing Mark had ever experienced since... ever. It didn't matter if their lips were closed, or that they weren't so close he could feel her heart beat. It was beautiful and elegant. Wonderfully romantic in an odd Mark kind of way. Mark had never heard of anybody he knew kiss their girlfriend like that, but surly someone in the world had. There was only one problem with this....

Courtney WASN'T his girlfriend.

When they broke apart in the same silkily soft manner, Mark opened his eyes. He was so amazed at his own daring it took a wile before the look on Courtney's face clicked.

Her eyes showed something that Bobby described often in his journals... fear and confusion.

She backed away from him. Mark retreated into himself slightly. Courtney didn't seem to dare to speak. She looked scared... of him. Man, was that wack? Mark couldn't take it.

"I'm sor-"

But Courtney didn't let him finish. She ran passed him, slightly pushing him out of the way. Mark didn't move. He felt numb, like he made a big mistake. Truth be told... he really thought he did.

"There you are, Mark!" his teacher called as he slowly made his way back to the busses, "You and Chetwynde were the last few back! What happened?"

Mark looked at Courtney, but she didn't look back. On the contrary, she looked at anything but him.

This wasn't what Mark wanted at all.