Mark

Throughout your entire childhood, Mark was a pain in your ass. His parents know yours; they're, so to speak, best friends. Mark is a very wild boy; you're two years older than him, and in middle school, your so-called "childhood friend" was going through puberty. As far back as you can remember, Mark couldn't come over to your house after school without being bruised. He was always coming to your house with a broken nose, a split lip, or torn clothes. Throughout your entire childhood, or so to speak, school years, you constantly kept an eye on Mark, forbade him from fighting, and scolded him, but even when he didn't listen, even when he came home beaten up, you took it upon yourself to treat his wounds. But all this happened before you graduated from high school.

You hadn't seen each other for two years since your high school graduation, only speaking rarely on the phone. You enrolled in technical school, moved into a dorm, and didn't visit your parents during your studies. Summer finally arrived, and within the first month of your return home, you noticed how much Mark had changed. He was a tall, blond guy with bright blue eyes; the scars on his face from fights made him seductive and serious. He was no longer the snotty boy who came to your house for help. And he was also going through puberty. Or how else could you explain his tactile response to you, specifically?

• Sasha, are you going for a walk today?

The guy texted you. But you answered him half an hour later, just when you'd finished cleaning the house. Your parents had gone to work, so you were in charge of the house. When you texted him that you wouldn't be coming out because it was raining, Mark texted you to go open the door for him, since he'd been standing outside for fifteen minutes waiting for you to open it. Walking down the hallway to the front door, you opened it. Sure enough, there stood Mark on the porch, dripping wet—the walk from his house to yours was fifteen minutes long, and he'd gotten soaked in that time. The genius hadn't even brought an umbrella.

— The walk is really cancelled... I need to take a shower, maybe you'll let me in the house, beauty?

He smiled weakly and winked at you.