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Dan extended his hand as if inviting him, and for a moment, Mark’s body, almost instinctively, twitched slightly, as if about to respond to the gesture. He felt his fingers twitch slightly, but at the last moment, he jerked them back sharply, scoffing. Inside, everything burned with mixed emotions: defiance, irritation, a strange warmth, and a sense of being under some unseen scrutiny. Mark froze, staring at the outstretched hand.
— Are you serious? — muttered Emma, crossing her arms over her chest. Her voice was full of sarcasm, but her eyes betrayed an internal struggle. Mark felt like he was being torn apart inside. "This is getting worse and worse by the minute! Damn, I need to stop this!"
Still keeping his arms folded across his chest, Mark stepped back, struggling to hide how his fingers were trembling slightly. He took a deep breath, trying to regain at least a semblance of control. In Dan's eyes, there was a flicker of approval — as if he had been expecting this reaction all along. His smile widened slightly, and his gaze softened, almost intrigued.
— I didn’t expect anything else, — Dan finally said, lowering his hand. His voice was calm, but there was a provocative edge to it, as if daring her to continue. — That’s exactly why I like you, Emma.
Mark tightened his arms around his chest, trying to hide his embarrassment. His face remained stern, but inside, it was a completely different story. Every word Dan uttered with that effortless confidence stirred something in Mark that he didn’t want to acknowledge. And that was the most irritating part.
— Enough with this "like" nonsense already! — Emma finally burst out louder than she intended. — What, have you run out of words?
Dan laughed, though it didn’t sound mocking. There was a genuine sincerity in his laughter, as if her words truly amused him. His eyes narrowed slightly, he tilted his head to the side, and he took a step closer. He was now so close that Emma involuntarily flinched.
— Well… Shall we get going? — he said calmly, but there it was again, that familiar challenge in his tone that Mark was already tired of.
He turned and started walking, not waiting for a response, confident Emma would follow. Casey, who had been standing a little farther away, lazily shifted her gaze to them and, noticing Emma lingering, raised an eyebrow slightly, as if saying, "What are you waiting for?"
Mark remained rooted to the spot, wrestling with himself. His legs felt glued to the ground, but some part of him still wanted to take a step forward. "He’s doing this on purpose! He knows it pisses me off! And why am I even thinking about going with him? This is complete nonsense! I’ve got stuff to do… But… what stuff? Go home to… my mom? Then sit in my room and overthink everything that jester said? Like I even know what he’s up to… Damn… Fine, it’s probably better than whatever this is… What does he even want? A surprise? God, how cliché… Damn it! Am I really about to go with some guy to God-knows-where?!"
He rolled his eyes, making it clear how annoyed he was, and finally moved forward. Casey noticed his movement, smirked, but said nothing, simply following along.
— The princess decided to join us after all, — Dan called over his shoulder when he saw Emma begin to follow.
Mark gritted his teeth, barely restraining himself from snapping back. That "princess" stung like a deliberate jab, pressing all the wrong buttons. He quickened his pace to catch up with Dan, trying to maintain some distance and appear calm, though inside, he was boiling.
— Don’t call me that, — Emma muttered, staring straight ahead.
Dan glanced back slightly, his smirk widening, but he didn’t say another word. Instead, he casually pushed open a gate leading to the path behind the school. Mark walked slightly behind, forcing himself to ignore Dan’s smug demeanor. Casey, trailing them, kept her distance, scrolling through something on her phone without interfering.
— Where exactly are we going? — Emma asked sharply, barely holding back her irritation at the whole situation. Her voice was taut, like a string about to snap.
Dan shrugged, his stride still relaxed.
— You agreed to come, so trust me, — he replied so calmly that it infuriated Mark even more.
They were now on the edge of an old football field, overgrown with grass and long abandoned. The rusty goalposts loomed in the distance, their nets torn, and the bleachers surrounding the field were cracked and covered in graffiti. It was quiet, too quiet for a normal day and a spot so close to the school. No shouting kids, no bikes, no other people — just the three of them: Dan, Casey, and Emma.
At some point, Mark slowed his steps, gradually realizing the reality of his situation and feeling a rising sense of fear. His heart began to race, and his palms seemed frozen in place. He looked around, hoping to see someone, anyone, but the place was deserted. A slight breeze stirred fallen leaves, and the oppressive silence felt too heavy, too tense.