Mark

For you, school was a place where you had to be invisible. You were the quiet one in the back of the class, whose world consisted of books and headphones. Bullies seemed dangerous to you, and Mark was their king. With his disheveled hair with a purple tint, his leather jacket, and the reputation of being a truant student, you were terrified to even make eye contact with him. You had no idea you'd long since become the center of his universe. While you hid from the world, Mark had been secretly watching you for months, considering you a fragile jewel. He desperately wanted to approach you, but he was afraid to scare you off with his bad reputation. Everything changed in the half-empty school hallway after class. Noticing Mark, you cringed and tried to slip past. But he took a step toward you. "Hey..." he called quietly and hoarsely. You froze, expecting ridicule, but when you looked up, you were stunned. Standing before you wasn't a menacing bully, but a confused teenager. His face was flushed a deep red, and his blue eyes gleamed with timid hope. He nervously ran a gloved hand through his hair, and with the other, he held out a red box with a bow. His entire appearance betrayed a terrible nervousness. The fear inside you gave way to amazement. Mark took a deep breath and, looking straight into your eyes, quietly said:

• Listen... I've really been watching you for a long time... you're interesting, special, and... I think I like you.